Are Opticians in Demand in Canada?

Opticians are in high demand in Canada due to the large number of retirees and the need for quality ophthalmic services. Opticians promote eye health and work with the public and other optical health professionals to provide patients with the best possible vision. They evaluate lifestyle requirements, such as hobbies and occupation, to determine what type of lenses and frames are best. Opticians can also place and dispense contact lenses and recommend a variety of aids for low vision.

The Government of Canada Job Exchange provides a detailed view of the employment prospects of opticians in each province. It also shows what percentage of opticians working in each province exceed 55%. Depending on the type and location of the business, opticians may need to work in the evenings and on weekends. In Alberta, opticians must have a combination of experience in internships (internships) and technical courses.

For a list of schools and programs recognized by the National Association of Optical Regulators of Canada (NACOR), visit their website. Opticians do much more than “sell glasses”. They place and adjust eyeglasses, contact lenses, low vision devices, and other eyeglasses to match prescriptions. The business of optics is an unusual marriage between science and fashion, retail marketing with patients' health problems, and manual dexterity and precision with artistic imagination.

Occupational hazards for opticians can include contact with harmful chemicals and injuries caused by cutting glass, so safety precautions are taken. Opticians must provide quality ophthalmic services and must also be honest and unbiased when caring for a patient. In addition, given the large number of people who use computers in their work, special lenses for specific tasks help reduce eye fatigue, which further maintains the need for eye doctors. Job offers will come from retirees and from the creation of new jobs. A moderate to large number of opticians who are expected to retire indicate that they will leave vacancies for new opticians to fill.

Interested in collecting prescriptive information to produce eyeglasses or organizing the production of eyeglasses, organizing the polishing and polishing of lenses, and adjusting finished eyeglasses to fit customers; can supervise or manage the activities of students and other opticians.