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An optician is an individual who makes and adjusts optical aids.
Eyecare opticians
An optician is an eye care professional who provides lenses for the correction of vision defects. The lenses may be contact lenses, or held in a frame in front of the eye, rarely as a monocle or most frequently as a pair of glasses, also known as spectacles or eyeglasses. The main optical properties of the lenses are specified from a refraction prescription supplied by a person qualified to measure visual defects and write an appropriate corrective prescription. The licensing and nomenclature of such persons varies from country to country.
United States
In the United States, an optician, through testing, may be certified by the American Board of Opticianry (ABO) to fill the prescription ordered by an ophthalmologist or optometrist *. In some states (Oregon for one) licensing is not a requirement to make or dispense eyewear. Many eye doctors do their own dispensing, and it is frequent for eye clinics to have an optician on their premises; or, conversely, for large optical chains to have optometrists in offices on their premises.
Some opticians learn their skills through formal training programs. Professional technical schools and two-year colleges offer programs in opticianry. Two-year programs usually grant an associate's degree. One-year programs offer a certificate. Training usually includes courses in optical math, optical physics, and tools and equipment use. *
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, opticians are categorized as either ophthalmic opticians (also known as optometrists) or dispensing opticians. An ophthalmic optician carries out a sight test to determine the patient's prescription and checks the health of the eyes (similar to an optometrist in the U.S.). A dispensing optician uses the prescription obtained in the sight test and provides glasses.With regard to the fitting of contact lenses. An up to date sight test prescription is needed to fit contact lenses. All ophthalmic opticians can fit contact lenses and some dispensing opticians who have specifically trained in this area can also fit contact lenses.
To become an ophthalmic optician a person must obtain a degree in optometry followed by one year of apprenticeship.
Famous opticians
Scientific equipment opticians
An optician is also an individual who makes and adjusts other optical aids, including telescope optics and microscope lenses.
Telescope opticians
- James Gilbert Baker
- John A. Brashear
- Alvan Clark
- John Dollond
- Charles Wesley Elmer and Richard Scott Perkin
- Frederick James Hargreaves
- Georg Simon Plšssl
- Russell W. Porter
- Jesse Ramsden
- Bernhard Schmidt
Microscope opticians
- Christopher Cock
- Galileo Galilei
- Robert Hooke
- Christiaan Huygens
- Zacharias Janssen
- Anton van Leeuwenhoek
See also
External links
- Opticians Association of Canada
- American Board of Opticianry / National Contact Lens Examiners
- Association of British Dispensing Opticians
- The College of Optometrists is the Professional, Scientific and Examining Body for Optometry in the UK
- The Royal College of Ophthalmologists
- Dollond & Aitchsion Opticians - the UK's oldest retail opticians chain
- Optician journal - educating and informing eye care professionals
"Optician"