Optometrist
vs Optician
We
are often asked about the significance of
the word optometry in our practice title and
hope the following information may help to
explain.
You
may be surprised to know that there are three
main types of Optician:
1.
Manufacturing Opticians grind lenses
to a prescription, usually in a factory environment
and fit the final lenses into spectacle frames
sent in from an optical practice.
2. Dispensing Opticians work in an
optical practice and advise people on which
frame and lenses will give the best optical
performance bearing in mind their individual
prescription. They are often involved in the
business side of an optical practice.
3. Ophthalmic Opticians carry out eye
examinations to determine the correct lenses
best suited to satisfying that prescription.
They also look for signs of ocular or systemic
problems. Within the next two years they will
have access to therapeutic drugs, which
will enable them to treat common infections
and inflammatory conditions.
You
may be even more surprised to learn that in
recent years it has become possible to call
yourself an optician with no formal optical
education. There are such businesses in the
Edinburgh area and we feel it important that
the public is aware of the competence of the
practice they attend when seeking advice on
eyecare.
Since
no-one uses, or can even spell, ophthalmic
optician, we are all universally referred
to simply as opticians. You will appreciate
ophthalmic opticians want to differentiate
themselves from opticians so that the
public know which practices are properly qualified
to carry out the full range of eyecare services.
In
the USA and Australasia the word is optometrist
- and they practice optometry, hence
the practice name as a reflection of our qualifications
and competence.
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