A professional who fills ophthalmic eyeglass prescriptions and fits and adapts lenses and frames, utilizing written optical prescription. Respnsibilities include:

• Evaluates prescription in conjunction with client's vocational and avocational visual requirements.
• Determines client's current lens prescription, when necessary, using lensometer or lens analyzer and client's eyeglasses.
• Recommends specific lenses, lens coatings, and frames to suit client needs.
• Assists client in selecting frames according to style and color, coordinating frames with facial and eye measurements and optical prescription.
• Measures client's bridge and eye size, temple length, vertex distance, pupillary distance, and optical centers of eyes, using millimeter rule and light reflex pupillometer.
• Prepares work order and instructions for grinding lenses and fabricating eyeglasses.
• Verifies finished lenses are ground to specification.
• Heats, shapes, or bends plastic or metal frames to adjust eyeglasses to fit client, using pliers and hands.
• Instructs clients in adapting to, wearing, and caring for eyeglasses.
• Sells optical goods, such as binoculars, plano sunglasses, magnifying glasses, and low vision aids.
• Repairs damaged frames.
• May be required to hold license issued by governing state.
• May fabricate lenses to prescription specifications.
• May select and order frames for display.
• May grind lens edges or apply coating to lenses.
• May manage one or more optical shops.
• May compute amount of sale and collect payment for services.
• May fit contact lenses only and be designated Optician, Contact-Lens Dispensing.