What Does a Licensed Optician Do?

A licensed optician provides people with various types of vision aids such as contact lenses or glasses. The licensing process for one of these professionals normally involves months or years of instruction at a community college or university. Training is usually followed by a practical and written examination. In many instances, opticians work alongside optometrists, who are able to perform complex eye surgeries and provide people with other types of treatment.

Someone working as a licensed optician must administer vision tests to determine the cause of an individual's eye troubles. The tests usually involve the patient having to read a series of lines of text that contains variously sized letters. Based on the test results, the optician may determine that the patient is shortsighted, long-sighted or suffering from some other kind of vision defect. The licensed optician will write a prescription for contact lenses or glasses of the appropriate strength and type to improve the patient's vision.

Aside from ordering lenses, a licensed optician must also order frames for the glasses that fit the client. In many instances, an optician will measure a client's head, ears and nose with the aid of both a tape measure and a flexible pair of glasses that can be bent and twisted into an appropriate shape to fit the client's head. Some opticians use more advanced technology that involves laser measurements.

Having taken the necessary measurements, a licensed optician must find a pair of glasses that appeals to the client on an aesthetic level. Typically, opticians keep a wide variety of different types of frames in the office so that people with varying tastes can find something that suits their needs. Having helped a client find an appropriate frame, the optician orders a complete set of glasses or contact lenses from a manufacturing firm. Many opticians ensure that the finished product precisely fits the client before completing the sale transaction and if necessary, a pair of glasses can be returned to the manufacturer so that alterations can be made.

In addition to issuing new pairs of glasses, people employed in this profession are able to perform basic repairs on pairs of glasses that have become damaged. Additionally, over the course of time an individual's eyesight may deteriorate in which case an optician may replace the existing lenses with a stronger pair. In some instances, opticians may refer people suffering from certain ailments and those with particularly poor vision to see an optometrist who can diagnose more serious issues and offer a wide array of treatment options.