So, you want to be an optician?

Good for you! :-)

Opticians sell eyewear or eyeglasses, repair and adjust eyeglasses, make eyeglasses and work in retail stores or in doctor’s offices. Some opticians own their own shop.

It really can be a great job.

You can make a real living wage and work under good conditions.

Learning all the skills needed to be an optician is very hands-on so you will need to work in an optical shop, go to school or become an apprentice. OpticianWorks is a great way to learn about the job and be prepared to start work.

Think About It — If becoming an optician was quick and easy and anyone could do it then you would not earn a living wage by being one!

Things to know:

There are only twenty-two states that require you to have a license to call yourself an optician. The other twenty-eight states have little or no requirements to dispense eyewear or make eyeglasses. In those states you may be called an optician or an optical dispenser, an eye care provider or ECP or an optical dispensing professional.

READ THIS! In the United States — FACT!

There is NO nationally recognized certification for opticians.

There is NO legal or political national organization for opticians.

There is NO national testing program for opticians.

There is NO nationally agreed upon definition for the role of an optician.

Compare this with a field like nursing which does have national certification, national organization, national standard testing and nationally recognized guidelines for school programs.

If you live in or plan to work in one of the following states you will need to become a licensed optician through a state approved course of study and pass a written and perhaps a practical exam. This may include college courses, a full college associates (2 year) degree or apprenticeship through the Department of Labor program. Check with the state agency a list of which can be found at:

Opticians Association of America

Alaska,
 Arizona,
 Arkansas,
 California,
 Connecticut, Florida,
 Georgia, Hawaii,
 Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire,
 New Jersey,
 New York,
 North Carolina,
 Ohio,
 Rhode Island,
South Carolina,
 Tennessee,
 Vermont,
 Virginia
, Washington


If you live in or plan to work in one of the following states there is no license required by the state to practice. I would still check with the state and ask a local optical store to be sure.

Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

Many states use the American Board of Opticianry (ABO) written examination as all or part of their license process. The ABO exam is a minimal competency, low passing score exam.

IMPORTANT! Passing the ABO written exam does not mean that you are an optician or a non-licensed optical professional.

What makes a good optician?

Are you good with your hands?

Can you sew?

Make a model?

Repair small objects that are broken?

Have you ever mended a broken piece of jewelry?

Do you have some mechanical ability?

Can you work with hand tools?

Know the difference between a screw and a nail?

Know the difference between a nut and a bolt?

If something is broken do you try to fix it?

Do you have patience?

Can you stick with something and see it through?

Can you do basic math in whole numbers, fractions and decimals?

Do you remember your number line and negative numbers?

Can you work with people?

Note: You do not have to “love people” or be a “people person” but can you work with other people and the public?

Do you have at least some eye for detail?

Symmetry?

Color?

Fashion?

If you answer yes to the above questions then you may well make a great optician!

How can OpticianWorks help you become an optician?

If you live or plan to work in a licensed state OpticianWorks can help you prepare for the classes and any tests that you will be required to take. OpticianWorks will help you be a better student, a better employee and a better optician.

If you live or plan to work in a non-license state OpticianWorks can prepare you to become a competent optical dispensing professional. If you work through my entire site you will know more than many “licensed opticians” and increase your chances of being hired and earning a good hourly rate of pay.

OpticianWorks offers a complete on-line education program. To work through the entire course of study you will need to apply yourself and study. I would expect anyone with no experience to need about ninety-six hours to complete the entire course.

Note: That is exactly the same as two semesters of college classes.

Ninety-six hours includes:

Reading all the lessons

Study and review time for each lesson

Taking the provided on-line tests

Watching the videos 

Exploring all the many resources provided through website links

Independent study of other material

A visit to an optical lab and an optical shop