Dispensing Opticians

Working as an assistant in an optical shop will provide useful experience for aspiring dispensing opticians.

Opticians need to have steady hands and good hand-eye coordination for the tiny, tedious tightening and adjustment jobs that need to be made to glasses. They need to be patient and meticulous when it comes to measuring the cornea for contact lenses or making sure by checking their lens machine that someone's prescription is exactly right. A soothing and confident manner is beneficial for an optician. Opticians touch their customers, when checking the fit of frames, when checking their eyes, when adjusting the finished glasses, or inserting someone's contacts for them initially. A fine sense of touch is an attribute of a good dispensing optician.

Since dispensing opticians very often play a large role in a customer's frame selection, it is important that the optician has a good sense of color and feels comfortable advising the customer. Taking hair and skin color as well as face shape into account is what helps the optician to point out flattering and practical frames for the customer.

There are many qualities important to a dispensing optician, but perhaps the most important of all are good communication and interpersonal skills. To be able to obtain the information needed to help customers through the eye-wear process, to make them feel at ease and in a friendly environment, to have a gentle and efficient manner: these are the crucial skills.