Dispensing Optician

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Dispensing opticians give advice on vision care, and supply glasses and contact lenses to suit their customers needs.

You can get into this job through a university course.

You’ll need to complete a course approved by the General Optical Council, and pass the Professional Qualifying Examinations from the Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO).

You can qualify by taking:

  • a two-year, full-time diploma course, followed by one year working under supervision
  • a three-year, day release course if you’re in suitable employment
  • a three-year distance learning course, including a four-week residential block, offered by the ABDO – you’ll need to be in suitable employment

Entry Requirements

You’ll usually need:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science
  • 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, including a science

 

You’ll need:

  • customer service skills
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • the ability to work well with your hands
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • maths knowledge
  • the ability to work well with others
  • the ability to sell products and services
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
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Registration: you’ll need to be registered with the General Optical Council

Professional and Industry Bodies: you could join the Association of British Dispensing Opticians, for professional development and training opportunities.

You’ll work with clients who have a prescription to correct their vision from an optometrist or ophthalmologist.

As a dispensing optician, you could:

  • calculate vision distances and angles
  • provide advice and information on a customer’s options for lenses
  • measure for spectacles or contact lenses
  • use your sales and communications skills to help people choose the right types of spectacle frames
  • fit, adjust and repair frames
  • give advice on how to care for and get the best out of eye equipment
  • refer clients back to an optometrist for further vision tests when required

The following salaries are a guide only:

  • Starter: £21,892
  • Experienced: £37,890
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Working Conditions

  • You’ll usually work Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm in a store.  
  • You could become self-employed.

You’ll need to pass enhanced background checks.

As a student you must join the student register of the General Optical Council before you carry out any clinical work.

With experience, you could become assistant manager or self-employed.

You could work as a consultant to a lens manufacturer or as a sales representative, selling ophthalmological instruments. You could also work in a hospital or in university teaching.

With further training, you could go on to qualify and work as an optometrist.

 

Additional Information

Next Steps SW

General Optical Council

Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO)