Are you hesitating between fashion, commerce and health? The profession of optician should meet all your expectations. In charge of the sale of glasses or contact lenses aimed at improving the eyesight of its customers, the optician-eyewear must also be at the forefront of fashion to respond to trends.
The optician-eyewear is a merchant responsible for the sale of prescription glasses, sunglasses and contact lenses. In addition to these correction and comfort devices, the optician can also carry out sight tests himself and sell many other products (magnifying glass, case, cleaning product, etc.).
Using the prescription of an ophthalmologist, the optician will help his client to choose his new eyeglass frame or his contact lenses. If the patient opts for glasses, then the optician will have an advisory role to help the client choose the best frame for him based on the shape of the glasses, the morphology of the face, the client’s needs and whether or not the glasses are used daily. He will offer him different options such as frames with or without legs, in plastic or carbon, glasses anti-reflective, unbreakable, anti-scratch, refined, in order to achieve maximum comfort for the client. Once the frame and the lenses have been chosen, the optician proceeds to mount the lenses in the frame after having centered, cut and polished them. Finally, he makes the final adjustments directly on the patient’s face to ensure that the frame is properly adapted.
If the customer opts for contact lenses, the optician will make sure that the person supports them well, explain to him how to maintain them and offer him maintenance products. Finally, the optician-eyewear takes care of all the administrative part by managing the relationship with social security and the patient’s mutual health insurance.
The main skills and qualities to have
A highly versatile profession, the optician must combine technical skills and human qualities:
- demonstrate thoroughness and precision in handling measuring devices;
- have great dexterity in handling lenses and frames;
- master the anatomy of the eye;
- enjoy contact with customers;
- be patient and educator;
- to have the commercial fiber;
- keep abreast of fashions and trends in eyewear colors or shapes;
- knowing how to listen to customers;
- be able to advise clients and be proactive;
- know how to manage stocks and manage a team;
- be organized and rigorous.
Work conditions
The optician works weekdays and Saturdays with extended hours. In permanent contact with customers, he must know how to adapt to all situations. With the lengthening of the lifespan, opticians have a bright future ahead of them. Opticians have no trouble finding work once they graduate, but competition is fierce between franchise stores, independent brands and new players on the Internet. It is therefore not always easy to find a place in the market if you want to grow on your own.
How to become an optician?
To practice the profession of optician, it is necessary to obtain the BTS Opticien-Lunetier, corresponding to a bac + 2 level. The student can then continue his studies in bac + 3 or bac + 5 in order to specialize or deepen his knowledge :
- Professional license in Optical trades, University of Nîmes;
- Professional license Professional optics, La Rochelle university or Fougères;
- Professional license in optics, Paris-Saclay University;
- Professional license Professional optics, Visual health course, Aix-Marseille University;
- Bachelor of Optical Store Management, Western School of Optics (ESOO), Angers;
- Bachelor of Vision Sciences, Bachelor of Manager in Optics, Bachelor of Creative Eyewear, Higher Institute of Optics (ISO), multiple campuses;
- MBA Business and Marketing Strategies in Optics, ISO, multiple campuses.
The salary of an optician
On average, a novice salaried optician earns around 1,600 euros gross per month. His salary can increase around 1900-2000 euros gross monthly quickly. On his own account, an optician-eyewear can claim a much more attractive remuneration of between 3000 and 6000 euros gross per month depending on the location of his store.
The development prospects of an optician
A novice optician often begins his career as an employee in an optical store. With a few years of experience, an optician can open his own store himself or take up a managerial position in a large company. Research can also be an evolutionary prospect, just like the optical industry. Finally, he can choose a specialization such as optometry or contactology.
Companies that employ opticians
- Specialized store ;
- mutual center;
- independent sign.
My job explained to my mother
Mom, what I’m doing is obvious to you right ?! And yes, I sell glasses and contact lenses for both children and the elderly. And that’s what I like. Every day new customers help them see better. But not only. So I have a role of salesman but also a role of technical advisor. I must therefore advise my client as well as possible on the choice of his frame, his glasses, according to his budget but also his face morphology. Change of branch therefore, here I am also a beauty coach! Another activity, I do eye exams to confirm the correction prescribed by the ophthalmologist or to see its evolution. I also make contact lens adaptations and take measurements on the lenses so that my client’s eyesight is the most comfortable with them. Another aspect of the job, the technical part, where in my workshop, I cut the glass taking into account the measures taken before on the client. Finally, I also provide after-sales service. So you still have the same vision on my job?
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