How to Become an Optician

Like most medical fields, becoming an optician is a very stable career path. That said, getting started isn’t always easy as you’ll need specialist training and a good understanding of the industry.

Today we’ll be breaking down how to become an optician, which degree you’ll need, how long it takes, and how much you can expect to earn.

The Requirements to Become an Optician

To become an optician you will need a degree. Which degree depends on which career path you choose to follow?

Broadly speaking, there are two types of opticians. There are dispensing opticians whose job it is to provide advice and supply glasses/contact lenses. There are also optometrists who test your eyes and have the authority to diagnose conditions.

Both are highly specialised roles and (in the UK) both require a degree qualification approved by the General Optical Council (GOC).

That said, the bar for becoming a dispensing optician is slightly lower and it is possible to complete your qualification as part of an apprenticeship. Meanwhile optometrists will need a full degree in optometry followed by a 1 year pre-registration work placement.

How Long Does it Take to Become an Optician?

So let’s assume you’re fresh out of high school and looking to become an optician. As a starting point you’ll need 5 passing GCSEs as well as 1-2 A-levels (3 if you’re becoming an optometrist).

Depending on the course you choose, an optometry degree will take between 4 and 5 years to complete. By contrast it takes 3 years to become a dispensing optician – two if you do a full diploma although your first year in employment will be under supervision.

Either way, by the standards of the medical profession, that’s a fairly decent turnaround. By comparison dentistry takes a minimum of five years and often longer to become fully qualified.

How Much Do Opticians Earn?

Again this largely depends on your role. While optometrists may be losing by a couple of years on the education front, in terms of earnings they’re a whole bracket above opticians. An optometrist starts out at £39K and can earn as much as £63K. By contrast a dispensing optician starts out at £26K and experienced opticians earn around £40K.

That is to say that the most experienced dispensing opticians are only earning around a thousand pounds more per year than the least experienced optometrists.

Of course, the pros and cons go far beyond just the financial. These are, after all, two very different job roles with differing levels of responsibility. Part of what an optometrist is paid for is that they are more directly responsible for their patients’ health and wellbeing. 

Career Paths & Progression

Before we wrap up, let’s take a moment to talk about the industry. As you progress through your career you’ll have the choice to work with the NHS or for private high street companies.

If you work with the NHS, then you’ll likely be working in a hospital, often dealing with more specialist cases. There are many advantages to working with the NHS, not least of which are the generous pension scheme and job security.

That said, by going the private route you could go into higher management roles, potentially overseeing multiple branches and leading into other high earning career paths.

Not that these decisions have to be made up front. While you’re studying to become an optician however, make sure to spend some time researching the industry as it is and staying up to date on both sides of it. The healthcare industry can change a lot over time, especially as new governments bring in new policies, so it’s always important to keep an eye on things and make sure you have the latest information.