Opticians, Dispensing
Overview
Salary
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Experience
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Education
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Examples
These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, travel guides, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters, and medical assistants.
Design, measure, fit, and adapt lenses and frames for client according to written optical prescription or specification. Assist client with inserting, removing, and caring for contact lenses. Assist client with selecting frames. Measure customer for size of eyeglasses and coordinate frames with facial and eye measurements and optical prescription. Prepare work order for optical laboratory containing instructions for grinding and mounting lenses in frames. Verify exactness of finished lens spectacles. Adjust frame and lens position to fit client. May shape or reshape frames. Includes contact lens opticians.
Salary Salary
Salary at 10th Percentile: $26K
Salary at 25th Percentile: $30K
Median Salary: $38K
Salary at 75th Percentile: $50K
Salary at 90th Percentile: $62K
Demand
Core Tasks
Evaluate prescriptions in conjunction with clients' vocational and avocational visual requirements.
Recommend specific lenses, lens coatings, and frames to suit client needs.
Verify that finished lenses are ground to specifications.
Measure clients' bridge and eye size, temple length, vertex distance, pupillary distance, and optical centers of eyes, using measuring devices.
Sell goods such as contact lenses, spectacles, sunglasses, and goods related to eyes, in general.
Assist clients in selecting frames according to style and color, and ensure that frames are coordinated with facial and eye measurements and optical prescriptions.
Heat, shape, or bend plastic or metal frames to adjust eyeglasses to fit clients, using pliers and hands.
Show customers how to insert, remove, and care for their contact lenses.
Determine clients' current lens prescriptions, when necessary, using lensometers or lens analyzers and clients' eyeglasses.
Maintain records of customer prescriptions, work orders, and payments.
Fabricate lenses to meet prescription specifications.
Instruct clients in how to wear and care for eyeglasses.
Prepare work orders and instructions for grinding lenses and fabricating eyeglasses.
Assemble eyeglasses by cutting and edging lenses, and fitting the lenses into frames.
Obtain a customer's previous record, or verify a prescription with the examining optometrist or ophthalmologist.
Order and purchase frames and lenses.
Repair damaged frames.
Grind lens edges, or apply coatings to lenses.
Perform administrative duties, such as tracking inventory and sales, submitting patient insurance information, and performing simple bookkeeping.
Supervise the training of student opticians.
Arrange and maintain displays of optical merchandise.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Customer and Personal Service
95%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Mathematics
77%
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Sales and Marketing
77%
Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
English Language
72%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Administration and Management
66%
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Clerical
66%
Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Production and Processing
62%
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Economics and Accounting
58%
Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
Personnel and Human Resources
57%
Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Education and Training
56%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Top 10 Skills
Speaking
80%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening
75%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Reading Comprehension
73%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Critical Thinking
68%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Service Orientation
68%
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness
65%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Writing
65%
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Judgment and Decision Making
63%
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Persuasion
63%
Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Active Learning
60%
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Top 10 Abilities
Oral Comprehension
80%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
80%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Near Vision
78%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Speech Clarity
75%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Written Comprehension
75%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Written Expression
75%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Speech Recognition
73%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Deductive Reasoning
70%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Finger Dexterity
70%
The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Problem Sensitivity
70%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Top 10 Work Activities
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
94%
Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
85%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Getting Information
83%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
83%
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Documenting/Recording Information
82%
Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
79%
Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Selling or Influencing Others
78%
Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
75%
Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People
75%
Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
Interacting With Computers
73%
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Detailed Work Activities
Order medical supplies or equipment.
Measure the physical or physiological attributes of patients.
Fabricate medical devices.
Fit eyeglasses, contact lenses, or other vision aids.
Recommend types of assistive devices.
Record patient medical histories.
Perform clerical work in medical settings.
Process medical billing information.
Merchandise healthcare products or services.
Instruct patients in the use of assistive equipment.
Operate diagnostic or therapeutic medical instruments or equipment.
Gather medical information from patient histories.
Verify accuracy of patient information.
Train medical providers.
Work Context
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Deal With External Customers
How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
Electronic Mail
How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
Frequency of Decision Making
How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
Education
Interests
Enterprising
91%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Conventional
77%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Realistic
62%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Social
62%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Artistic
24%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Investigative
24%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Top 10 Work Styles
Attention to Detail
93%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Integrity
93%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Self Control
88%
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Dependability
86%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Concern for Others
83%
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Cooperation
83%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Analytical Thinking
80%
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Adaptability/Flexibility
77%
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Initiative
76%
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Stress Tolerance
75%
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Work Values
Independence
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Relationships
72%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support
62%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Working Conditions
55%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Achievement
53%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Recognition
48%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
