Readers of my monthly ranting know that education, Optician education in particular, in very important to me. Back in June I received a letter from one of our readers:

Dear Paul,
I just read your article in Eye Care Professional and I appreciate your straightforward way of writing. I am very new to the field and would like to take some classes but I don't know where to start. Would you point me in the right direction, please? I'm in a very small office, just the Dr. and me, and am learning in the "trenches" right now. I would rather take some classes and have some concrete knowledge. Thanks for any help you can give me.

Linda Thomas
Sunday Eye Care

Linda,

One of the biggest challenges facing Opticianry today is how to train the new people coming into the field. The tasks that any one individual may face in the course of a day are so various that Opticianry may seem overwhelming to those first starting out. That being said, there are a few thing that every new Optician should know. In my opinion, a great place to start would be with Michael DiSanto's TOPS Manual. The latest version is currently available through the National Academy of Opticianry, (www.nao.org). You don't have to be a member to buy the book, but it helps on the price. With the latest version of the book, a companion DVD series is also available. I would highly recommend getting this along with the book. It's nice to be able to see and hear what Mike is talking about. The following is an excerpt from the NAO website:

As you can see TOPS is a great place for you to start. I have multiple copies in my library at home and at work and I refer to it often. Depending on how in depth you and Dr Sunday wish your training to go, there are many other great learning tools on the NAO website. I would encourage you to check out all of their offerings.

Another great reference is the "National Guidelines for Apprenticeship Standards." This is a training guide that was updated last year by the US Department of Labor, in conjunction with the National Academy of Opticianry and the Contact Lens Society of America. The guide outlines the things that you should know as an Optician. In my opinion, one of the greatest things about the guide is that along with the outline, there are side notes that tell you what books you can find the information in. It is my hope that all 50 States will at sometime in the near future adopt these standards. You should be able to obtain a copy from the Opticians Association of America. Contact our esteemed executive director, Cate Langley at www.oaa.org/index, and be sure and tell her I said she was esteemed! I can use all the help I can get with her.

In your letter you mentioned attending classes. Here are a few thoughts. The first thing that I would do to attend a class is to contact the Opticians Association of Illinois. Mr. Robert Hughbanks will be your point of contact. You can reach him at www.illinoisopticians.org. Your state association should be having classes of various levels for continuing education a few times a year. This could be a great place to learn in a more formal setting. If you are feeling adventurous, you may want to come to Cincinnati in September for the first annual National Education Conference. I have taken a few minutes to look over the offerings and some of the "hands on" workshops seem to be right up your alley. There are all levels, from beginning frame adjustments to advanced levels on how to use a slit lamp. You can find more information and register at www.abo-ncle-conference.com. If after being in the field for a spell and you feel as though this is your calling, you might want to look into getting a degree in Opticianry. If so I would take a look at the National Federation of Opticianry Schools (www.nfos.org). There you will find links to colleges that offer an online degree in Opticianry. This is by no means an easy way to obtain a degree, but it does offer working folks a chance to further their education and ultimately provide better care to our patients.

I hope that this helps some. If you or Dr. Sunday has any other questions that I can help with, feel free to contact me.

In closing I would like to send my kudos to the Opticians Association of Ohio. I contacted them about helping to get the word out about the petitions that the Opticians in Pennsylvania and Texas are circulating. They are attempting to spread the word about the need to have quality trained and accountable Opticians in their states. If you wish to sign the petitions, go to www.thepetitionsite.com/2/pennsylvania-opticians-licensure and www.thepetitionsite.com/1/texas-opticians-licensure.

An email blast was sent out to all OAO members, and the OAO did a great job in supporting their fellow Opticians. To our readers I thank you in advance for you time and consideration in this matter.