An optician, or dispensing optician, is a technical practitioner who designs, fits and dispenses corrective lenses to correct a person's vision. Opticians determine the specifications of the ophthalmic appliances that will give the necessary correction to a person's eyesight.
Some registered or licensed opticians also design and fit special appliances to correct cosmetic, traumatic or anatomical defects. These devices are called shells or artificial eyes. Others manufacture lenses to their own specifications, and design and manufacture spectacle frames and other devices.
Corrective ophthalmic appliances may be contact lenses, spectacle lenses, low-vision aids or ophthalmic prosthetics for those who are partially sighted. They are mounted either on the eye, as contact lenses, or in a frame or holder in front of the eye, as spectacles or a monocle.
Opticians work in a variety of settings: joint practice, hospitals, laboratories, eye care centres and retail stores. Registered opticians meet standards of practice and training, commit to ongoing education, hold professional liability insurance, and are held to those standards by their regulating bodies.
At our optical counter
We check your prescription by computer (auto refractometer), dispense spectacles and contact lenses, and handle glasses changes. See the full list on our specialities page.
Book an appointment
Call us or drop in during opening hours. No appointment is needed for a routine eye check.