What is an Optician and What Do They Do?

Published on January 7th, 2025

Updated on July 16th, 2025

When it comes to eye care, there are often a team of professionals who work together to make sure you are getting the best services possible. If you are getting a regular eye exam, you will be more than familiar with an optometrist and what they do. If you have ever had a more serious eye problem, like advanced glaucoma or cataracts, you will be familiar with an ophthalmologist, also known as an eye surgeon. If you have ever had glasses fitted, then you will have worked with an optician, although you may not have known it, as they often have a different name. In Australia, they have chosen to use the term optical dispenser instead of optician, as it is less likely to get confused with an optometrist. Keep reading to find out more about opticians and what role opticians play in your eye care team.

What is an Optician?

An optician is an eye care professional who is responsible for fitting and dispensing glasses. According to Merriam-Webster, an optician defined as a person who can read prescriptions for vision correction, orders lenses and dispenses eyeglasses and contact lenses.

What Does an Optician Do?

An optician has a range of responsibilities. These include fitting corrective lenses for patients, measuring the distance between a patient's pupils to ensure the best fit for glasses, and offering advice on selecting the right frames. Opticians do not prescribe glasses or diagnose eye conditions. Opticians play an important role in helping an optometrist and ophthalmologist, to meet patient needs and provide the appropriate treatments. At Oscar Wylee, we have a dedicated and passionate team of eye care professionals in store that can help with your vision needs. If you need an eye exam for instance, you can book online and our optometrists, opticians and front of house staff, will work together to sort out any prescriptions or eye care that you need.

What are the Main Duties and Responsibilities of an Optician?

The main duties and responsibilities of an optician can include interpreting prescriptions, advising customers and fitting eyewear. The main duties and responsibilities of an optician are listed below.

Interpreting Prescriptions: An optician's responsibility can involve interpreting prescriptions, understanding the different abbreviations listed on the prescription and deciphering the numbers.
Advising Customers: An optician's role will also involve advising customers on the right eyewear and can provide suggestions for the best frame and lens options. They will help ensure the frame and lenses are fitted correctly.
Fitting Eyewear: An optician typically helps with fitting eyewear by making any needed adjustments to your frames to ensure they feel comfortable and provide clear vision.

An optician assisting a customer with their glasses

What Does an Optician Do on a Daily Basis?

What an optician will do day to day is dependent upon what environment they work in. If they work in an optical dispensary, their responsibilities will include filling prescriptions, adjusting frames and lenses, and giving advice to patients. If they work at an optometrists office, they will perform similar duties, but may work closer with an eye care team including the optometrists. An optician may also work in other eye care centres or even laboratories.

If an optician is working in a store like Oscar Wylee, where we provide both optometry services and dispensing, the day to day will often revolve around patients and customer service. They will make sure everyone's eye care needs are met by fitting glasses, giving advice and making adjustments to lenses or frames.

Other duties may include:

Ordering lenses for the store.
Checking that lenses or frames are free from defects.
Repairing damaged lenses or frames.

What is the Role of an Optician in Ophthalmic Dispensing?

The role of an optician in ophthalmic dispensing is to interpret prescriptions from optometrists or ophthalmologists and fit patients with suitable eyewear. Interpreting eye prescriptions typically includes looking at the abbreviations and numbers listed to understand what your vision needs. The role of an optician also includes helping customers select frames, measuring facial features, fitting and adjusting lenses, and ensuring visual and aesthetic suitability. An optician may also advise on lens types, coatings and general care.

What is the Difference Between an Optometrist and an Optician?

The difference between an optometrist and an optician is their qualifications and roles. An optometrist is qualified to carry out eye exams, write prescriptions and diagnose ocular disease, while opticians are not. Opticians will have a high level of understanding regarding prescriptions, and be able to assist patients, but they do not write prescriptions. Their main role is to dispense glasses and help in making sure these glasses are right for each person. The level of education and expertise is also a differentiating factor between the two professions. Optometrists will have completed 3 years of undergraduate education and additional training in optometry, whereas an optician requires less formal education. These two eye care professionals will work as part of an eye care team.

How Do Opticians and Optometrists Work Together?

Opticians and optometrists work together to help patients receive vision correction and ensure that their eyewear fits correctly and comfortably. The optometrist will examine your eyes and diagnose any potential eye issues. If you do have any eye problems, such as refractive errors, the opticians will then take the prescription from the optometrist, interpret the different components listed. They then dispense the correct frames and lenses for your vision needs and can help you pick out the most suitable frames according to your face shape and vision requirements. While optometrists and opticians are not eye doctors, they are both eye care professionals who can assist with eye care and eyewear concerns.

How to Become an Optician?

To start a career as an optician, you are required to attain a qualification in the optometry field. You will also need the appropriate technical training to develop practical skills.

What are the Required Skills for a Career as an Optician?

The required skills for a career as an optician may include having knowledge of eye health, how frames and lenses work, the ability to interpret prescriptions, customer service and teamwork. The required skills for a career as an optician are listed below.

Knowledge in eye health: Having knowledge in eye health is important as an optician, as it helps with accurately advising customers on selecting the correct frames and ensuring customer satisfaction.
Knowing how frames and lenses work: Knowing how frames and lenses work so they can help provide proper and accurate assistance to customers with their prescription eyewear.
Ability to interpret prescriptions: Having the ability to interpret prescriptions is one of the primary skills an optician needs to have in order to accurately dispense and fit prescription glasses.
Customer service: An optician should have customer service skills as they often deal with customers directly on a daily basis. Having customer service skills can aid in creating a high-quality in-store experience for patients.
Teamwork: Teamwork is an important skill to have as an optician, as they will often collaborate with the optometrist when delivering corrective eyewear for patients. Teamwork can increase efficiency and overall quality of the optometry service.

How Much Do Opticians Earn?

The average amount that opticians earn can vary according to various factors. The factors that can affect how much opticians earn can include experience, location, qualifications, and the type of employer.

What do you need to study to become an optician?

You will need to complete a course to become an optician. In Canada, opticians are required to register with their provincial regulatory body to legally practice. Opticians must have graduated from a recognised Canadian optical program according to the College of Opticians of Alberta.

How Long Does it Take to Become an Optician?

To become an optician, students will need to complete an optician training program at an accredited educational institution. Training programs can be offered full-time, part-time, or through online study and may take around 1-4 years to complete according to the Opticians Association of Canada. Upon completion, a student will then be able to take the national licensing examination. Passing the examination will then grant the student eligibility to register to their provincial regulatory agency.

Is an Optician the Same as an Optical Dispenser?

Yes, an optician is the same as an optical dispenser. An optician and an optical dispenser are eye care professionals who assist with interpreting prescriptions from the optometrist or ophthalmologist. Optician is the term more commonly used here in Canada, while optical dispenser is the term used in Australia.

Can Opticians Diagnose Eye Conditions?

No, opticians cannot diagnose eye conditions. Opticians are only able to fit and dispense prescription lenses. Optometrists and ophthalmologists are the only eye care professionals who can examine and diagnose eye conditions such as low vision and more due to their education and training. Opticians primarily help patients choose eyeglass frames and lenses by taking measurements of the client's face to ensure they can produce the appropriate frames and lenses that are suitable for the client. Therefore, still making opticians able to assist you with any of your eyewear concerns.

What Skills Does an Optician Need?

An optician will need to have a range of skills to excel in the field. The most important are:

A good knowledge of eye health, such as vision abnormalities and disorders.
A comprehensive understanding of how lenses and frames work.
Ability to interpret a glasses prescription.
Ability to measure a pupillary distance.
Good communication skills to work alongside an optometrist and other eye care staff.

The role involves customer-facing interactions, so you will also need good customer service skills.

Oscar Wylee Opticians

Here at Oscar Wylee, we have in-store dispensing staff that can help you with your lens and frames needs. Find your nearest Oscar Wylee store on our store locator page, and come in and see us for more information.

Read What is an Optician and What Do They Do? in other Oscar Wylee regions and their languages.