When one goes into an optical shop in Perth, they might encounter some professional roles that exist, which include the optician, optometrist, and dispenser. Even if they appear very similar, they differ greatly in terms of responsibilities and qualifications required as well as in the phases of eye care.
Clinical Eye Care and the Statistics of Registrations
The optometrist at a Perth optician examines the eyesight of a patient, prescribes corrective lenses, and checks for any possible eye disorders. In addition, he or she has to be registered across Australia. The statistics from the register of the Optometry Board to 30 June 2026 are equal to 7,618 in Australia. These numbers include general, limited, and non-practising registration and therefore cannot be regarded as active.
Within this number, there are 670 optometrists who practise in Western Australia. Among the optometrists with general registration, 81.2% have an endorsement to schedule medicines. These numbers characterise different features of the profession and are not equivalent in any way.
It should be noted that these registers only include the optometrists, not other dispensing specialists and waiting times.
The Skills That Go Into Wearing Your Glasses Comfortably
Getting a good fit on your glasses isn’t just about throwing a lens in a frame. No, it’s about measuring up just right, and I mean really right, because the position of each lens’s optical centre can be made all wrong with just a couple of millimetres out, and let’s face it, a few millimetres can make all the difference between a comfortable pair of glasses and headaches that no amount of tweaking your prescription is going to sort out.
And then there’s the frames themselves: how they feel, how they look and how much of a thick look you’re going to get out of stronger prescriptions, all of which can be affected by what you choose to put on your face. Progressive lenses are a whole other kettle of fish, taking time to get used to because you have to learn a whole new way of seeing things, which isn’t always easy. A good fitter will check back in with you a few weeks down the line to make sure everything is still feeling right.
On the other hand, the optometry register doesn’t give a hoot about qualifications for fitters, so you’ll have to ask the question: who exactly is going to be putting my glasses together, and what training have they had?
What Else Can Your Optician Do for You?
Lots of optical places do all sorts of extra stuff: dry eye clinics, contact lenses and even myopia control for kids. And I mean they’re clinical services, even if they are being done in the same place where they flog you frames; the optometrist will do the prescription, while the fitter does the practical bit. And some places will also sort you out with sunglasses, prescription safety glasses and sports eyewear, all of which might need a bit of both.
Who Should You Ring First?
- If it’s a new prescription, or maybe you think your vision is changing a bit or you just have some general concerns about your eye health, then ring an optometrist.
- If you’re having trouble with a loose frame, or maybe your nose pads aren’t comfy, or you just got a question about lenses, then the dispensing team is probably the place to start.
- Sudden vision loss, a curtain coming down over your field of vision or new flashes of floaters; that needs a trip to the emergency department or a triple zero call, not a phone call to the optical store.
Healthdirect reckons that sudden changes in vision need some immediate medical care, and you know what? I reckon they are probably right. A red eye that’s sore is something you need to get checked out pronto, and an optometrist might be a good first call if vision is stable and they can see you that same day. On the other hand, if eyesight is going downhill, then the emergency department is probably the safest bet.
Job titles in optical stores vary as much as snowflakes, so you might want to ask the staff just what they do to avoid getting confused. Customers can check who’s going to look at their eyes, who’s going to fit their glasses and who they should be ringing if something goes wrong after the appointment.
In the end, a few job titles don’t make a difference once you separate the clinical and dispensing roles into their different parts, and once you know who is doing what, you can get the service you need without all the unnecessary visits and delays.
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