"Opticianry is ultimately defined by how
well the eyewear makes contact with the
Patient,
not by the number of customers served.
Many
optical outlets are 'ready-to-wear' stores where
eyewear merchants sell 'one-size-fits-all' merchandise,
and where numbers of sales and customers
is paramount.
This environment has prostituted the practice of Opticianry.
Therefore, a conscious, precise, and personalized process
of frame
selection, lens design, and in-place, hands-on fitting is required. In too
many cases obsessive and unrealistic sales goals override
the optician's
mission of providing skillful hands-on health care, whereby
the personalized,
custom-fitting of prescription eyewear is given only minor consideration,
if any."
"The
customized fitting of eyewear involves more than just adjusting
a nose
piece or bending a temple. It has to include the reshaping,
bending, stretching,
twisting and artful sculpting of the frame components in order
to personalize the
eyewear. Anything less will most likely compromise the patient's
visual comfort
and long term wear-ability. The difference between adjusting
and customizing is
what's different between today's eyewear merchants and yesterday's
opticians."
"Dentists, Manicurists and Hairstylists make direct, tactile contact with the
consumer. Likewise, opticians must make direct contact with
the Patient.
Hands-on-the-Patient opticians, can determine by sense of touch how a
frame feels even in lieu of asking the Patient. Only an eyeglass merchant
routinely hands over prescription
glasses with no hands-on assessment,
nor the appropriate ‘touch-and-feel’
required to custom fit the eyewear."
"Eyeglass Consumers need and deserve the following:
a) Optician-assisted, in-depth lifestyle interview;
b) Optician-assisted, design and selection;
c) Handcrafted, form-fitting eyewear;
d) Free lifetime adjustments and
minor repair services, none of
which are available online."
Dispensing Guidelines
