Your Optician's Role in Your Eyecare < For Consumers < Home

The Role of the Optician in Your Eyecare

 
Opticians are highly skilled eye care professionals who undergo rigorous and extensive training.  They design and dispense eyeglasses, contact lenses, low vision aids and prosthetic ocular devices for customers.

As with other health professions, candidates in Opticianry must pass specific certification and educational criteria to demonstrate that they are qualified for the profession and are not a risk to the public. The education requirements for Opticianry are based on determined learning outcomes as established by the College of Opticians of British Columbia (COBC): these requirements are set out in the COBC Opticians Competency policy at www.cobc.ca. The education and training for opticians is more in-depth and extensive than optometrists in areas where the two professions provide the same services to the public. They adopted a stepped education system for Opticianry in B.C.:

• This system recognizes a basic entry point to the profession and also allows opticians to further their qualifications beyond the basics.
• Over 70% of opticians have received advanced or specialized training.
• Opticians are able to register with the COBC and practice as a registered optician at the completion of the competencies for each level.

In B.C., three academic institutions are accredited by the COBC to provide Opticianry programs. Opticianry programs consist of a series of courses for each level of Opticianry, and graduating students must achieved the learning outcomes described in the COBC Opticians Competency policy.

Thus, opticians are highly trained and qualified health professionals who undergo extensive training and education to fulfill education and practice competencies in Opticianry. The stepped education system benefits the public by upholding high standards of care while maintaining appropriate and affordable treatment.

Recently in British Columbia, the government announced proposed changes to the optician's regulations that will allow registered opticians who have received specialized training to sight test and, based on the results, determine the power for corrective lenses for their clients eyeglasses.

If you have a complaint about an experience or service from an optician in B.C., you can notify the College of Opticians who will investigate the situation on your behalf, under certain criteria.