Master Opticians Answer the Profession's Most Pressing Questions
What does it take to build a stronger future for opticianry? As the optical profession continues to evolve through new technologies, changing patient expectations, and ongoing workforce challenges, opticians remain at the center of delivering exceptional vision care. To explore the opportunities and responsibilities shaping the profession today, I asked a group of Master Opticians, educators, and industry leaders to share their perspectives.
From professional standards and certification to mentorship, patient experience, compensation, and the future role of technology, their insights reveal a common theme: the future of opticianry depends on knowledgeable, adaptable professionals who are committed to lifelong learning, patient advocacy, and elevating the value of the profession. In this collection of interviews, these respected voices offer practical advice, thoughtful reflection, and a vision for what comes next.
Meet the Master's:
Cira Collins, MPH, ABOM, NCLEC, LDO, has spent two decades across corporate and private practice roles, including technician, optician, buyer, vendor, manager, and trainer. An American Board of Opticianry Master, she is recognized for her expertise in ophthalmic optics and her commitment to advancing optician education. She has spoken on state, national, and international stages, and in 2024 was named one of Vision Monday’s Most Influential Women in Optical as a Rising Star and an Eyecare Business Game Changer. She is currently a finalist for International Optician of the Year, to be awarded at SILMO in late September. Currently, she is an optical trainer for Kaiser Permanente and serves on the boards of ABO-NCLE and GoodVision USA. Cira is drawn to optical’s blend of science, art, and people—and her energy makes it clear she loves people most.
Danielle Crull, ABOM, is the owner of A Child’s Eyes, a Pennsylvania optical dispensary specializing in glasses for infants, children, and teens. Danielle is also the founder of the Truffles the Kitty Organization, inspired by her glasses-wearing cat, Truffles. A former stray, Truffles learned to wear specially fitted lens-free frames and demonstrate behaviors such as wearing an eye patch, helping children feel less anxious and more confident about glasses, amblyopia treatment, and eye care. Danielle and Truffles received the 2023 Bonnie Strickland Champion for Children’s Vision Award for their advocacy, education, and work to reduce the stigma surrounding childhood vision disorders.
Diane F. Drake, LDO, ABOM, NCLEM, FNAO has over 40 years in the Optical business and is an approved speaker for ABO-NCLE up to advanced level and for Paraoptometrics and for JCAHPO. She has served as president for the National Academy of Opticianry, the South Eastern Opticians Conference and the Opticians Association of Georgia receiving recognition and awards from all of these organizations. She has authored several books and is a continuing contributor to several publications including the widely accepted contact lens review book, Beginning Your Life as a Contact Lens Technician, the Basic Opticians Tutorial and the Advanced Opticians Tutorial.
Deborah Kotob, ABOM, develops continuing education courses and editorial content, and oversees the educational programming for 20/20 Magazine's Pro to Pro platform. She began her optical career as a Giorgio Armani frame representative for Luxottica, later owning and operating two high-end optical boutiques before spending over a decade with Vision Ease—where she discovered her passions for optics and content development. Today, she's known for transforming the Pro to Pro learner experience into an interactive, digital-first journey that adds value for CE sponsors. A believer in leadership that amplifies others, Kotob brings a mentor's mindset to all she does.
Carrie Wilson, MBA, LDO, ABOM, NCLEM, brings a passion for teaching to every aspect of this course. As the owner of Optigal Consulting and a professor of ophthalmic science at the College of Southern Nevada, Carrie has a rich background in breaking down complex topics into easy-to-understand lessons. Her experience as a national lecturer and her involvement in setting industry standards make her uniquely qualified to lead you through this comprehensive study program.
Christie Yee, NCLEM, ABOC, COA is a Master Certified Contact Lens Practitioner and Specialty Lens Consultant for ABB Optical. She has expertise in the management of irregular corneas and progressive myopia with specialty contact lenses. Christie previously served on the board of directors for the ABO-NCLE and has 25 years of experience in the field.
What role do opticians play in upholding professional standards to ensure the future of opticianry?
Oftentimes, we identify Opticians as the pharmacists of the optical profession. That role comes with responsibilities to ensure that we not only understand the prescription/prescriptions that a patient brings to us, but to consult with them in a way that we understand lifestyle and visual needs. Upholding professional standards means that we use every resource available to achieve the best vision possible for our patients without having any form of self-serving agenda. We also need to align with each other so that we have the resources necessary to help achieve that.
-Diane F. Drake, LDO, ABOM, NCLEM, FNAO
I think one of the best ways opticians uphold professional standards is by maintaining technical competency. Our industry is constantly growing and evolving. Advances in contact lenses, dry eye management, specialty lenses, myopia management, materials, and manufacturing require opticians to continually expand their knowledge and increase their skillset rather than relying solely on what they learned during initial training and education.
I also think a critical component is mentoring the next generation. Experienced opticians have an important responsibility to model professionalism and pass along technical knowledge and hands-on practical skills that can really only be learned through experience. They can also pass along ethical reasoning and critical thinking/problem solving to students and newer opticians.
There is one area that is very important, that I think opticians need to embrace and make a conscious effort to do better— and that’s advocating for the profession of opticianry.
Opticians can help shape the future of opticianry by demonstrating that the profession requires specialized knowledge, clinical judgment, technical expertise, and continuing education, not only the ability to sell or dispense eyewear. Opticians can do this in a variety of ways. Being an active participant in their local state societies, as well as the United Opticians Association, engaging with local and national leaders, and paying special attention to proposed legislation that will affect the industry. -Christie Yee, NCLEM, ABOC, COA
Why should optical professionals seek certification if they reside in an non-licensing state?
The number one reason optical professionals in non-licensing states should seek ABO/NCLE certification is self-improvement. Certification supports a lifelong commitment to learning, growth, and the development of greater knowledge and skill in opticianry. The most successful professionals in our field are often those who "catch the bug”—the drive to stretch themselves, learn more, grow, and contribute at a higher level.
Certification also enhances employability, especially in higher-end and independent practices that want to build their reputation on providing the highest quality eye care from the front desk to the exam lane to the dispensing optical team. Opticianry is a proud profession, and I believe it will continue to advance and flourish under the leadership and advocacy of the United Opticians Association.
We are already seeing momentum toward certification, with some large retail chains preferring to hire certified opticians and companies such as Walmart offering training programs to help employees earn ABO certification.
Being a licensed optician—and especially a Master Optician—increases credibility with patients, practice owners, and managers, while also creating greater opportunities for advancement.
I can personally credit my optician certification with helping me land my first position in optical training with Vision Ease. Later, my Master certification expanded my career options by helping me develop LMS training and education sites for clients and create learning content. That ultimately led to my promotion to National Trainer for Vision Ease and, eventually, to my current role as Director of Education for Jobson, where I manage, write, edit, and present educational content and live CE courses. -Deborah Kotob, ABOM
Whether or not a state requires licensure or not, certification demonstrates that a person has achieved a certain level of proficiency. Entry level into the field requires basic knowledge, which is commendable. However, higher levels of certification, require more knowledge which will benefit our/your patients. Never stop learning.
-Diane F. Drake, LDO, ABOM, NCLEM, FNAO
How can we move beyond sub-market compensation affecting optician quality and retention in private practice settings?
Coming from a state without optician licensure, I’m continually surprised by how little many people in our communities understand about what an optician actually does. I think compensation and professional recognition are closely connected. If we want opticians to be valued appropriately, we first have to elevate the profession itself. And that begins with educating our communities about the knowledge, skill, and responsibility involved in helping someone see well. It means we get out from behind the dispensing table, we let our skill set shine.
We also need a profession built upon a recognizable standard of knowledge and competency. When the public and employers better understand the expertise an optician brings to patient care, it becomes much harder to view the position as simply a retail role.
We have the extraordinary responsibility of helping people see better. There is tremendous value in that. Our challenge is making sure our communities recognize it, our profession demonstrates it, and ultimately, compensation reflects it.
-Danielle Crull, ABOM
We need to build systems and cultures in opticianry as a whole that create perpetual learning. There is large mindset shift from "That’s not in my job description” to "How can I always add value to my practice”. That is not one that is tied to compensation. It is a mindset and a skill that can be learned. We have to collectively start talking about the value we create and add to our practices. Especially in private practice, opticians drive the most important revenue generating activities.
We need to produce the research that shows the value of trained opticians. As a Master Optician, I believe I share a belief with a lot of people that we directly influence a lot of the moveable metrics like patient retention, multiple pair sales, re-appointment rates, average frame sales, even if you are not in a management role.
Private practice owners need to see and believe that skilled opticians protect the practice. Particularly in an economy where people will be able to get their eyewear anywhere,
Skilled opticians will be better suited to retain patients by solving patient problems.
A patient may have a lot of tolerance for a $40 pair of online glasses that aren’t great, but they expect that their $500 pair will perform. Skilled opticians not only create greater margins, but they help keep patients in the practice. Patient loyalty is earned when we solve problems the internet won’t.
Opticians need to better own our portion of the business. This does not mean that we track numbers every day, although that is helpful, especially if you hardwire reporting those numbers and the reasons for their movement to the practice owner. It also means that we think of how we will evolve our practices to be continually competitive. In private practice, that opportunity is to express the values of the practice. Many of us have to start by understanding or even building the mission, vision and values in a meaningful way. With guiding the business as if it were our own, we can be trusted business partners, better able to leverage choices that will produce a more profitable practice and demonstrate our value.
When we have demonstrated how we build, manage, protect and grow our practices, we have to ask for the wages that reflect the value of our work. If we can all pull together in this direction, we can lift an entire profession and patients we serve.
-Cira Collins, MPH, ABOM, NCLEC, LDO
What is your advice to optical professionals who seek professional growth but lack access to a formal program or resources?
Network, ask lots of questions, stay curious, and get involved.
This question really speaks to my heart, as I am from an unlicensed state that doesn’t have a formal educational program. But I’d argue that there’s not a lack of amazing resources—you just have to be willing to look for them. The path here obviously isn’t as straightforward as it’s for my friends in licensed states with degree programs. You’re mostly relying on on-the-job training, and you may get some of the technical skills to get by, but you’re going to need to invest in yourself to fill the gaps in your education to really be excellent.
There are some really great opticianry books out there. Most of them are written by opticians for opticians.
I really recommend you get involved in your state society and go to local and national conferences. Learning from opticians not in your routine sphere will greatly increase your ability to provide an excellent patient experience as you expand your understanding and skills.
Network. Surround yourself by other opticians that can serve as a mentor to you and inspire personal growth. Lean into your sales reps. Ask the hard how and why questions. They are the experts in their field and their products. You can learn a lot about current technology, research, and emerging trends from your sales reps.
Also, some perspective after decades…if I could go back and do something different. I think pretty early on, I accepted that there wasn’t a program I could attend in Minnesota. So that was that. It never occurred to me that there were a lot of opportunities if I branched out. Lots of people go to college in other states. If you’re serious about a career as an optician, think about attending an out-of-state school.
-Christie Yee, NCLEM, ABOC, COA
I actually got started in the optical industry without going to school for opticianry. A lot of people would probably say I’m self-educated, but I don’t really think that’s the right way to describe it. I’d say I was educated through knowledge sharing. I was just really curious about the industry. Once I started learning, I wanted to know more and more, so I went looking for it. I asked a lot of questions. I talked to people who knew more than I did. I learned from opticians, labs, manufacturers, doctors, educators, coworkers—pretty much anyone who was willing to share what they knew.
So when someone tells me they want to grow professionally, but they don’t have access to a formal program, my advice is: don’t let that stop you. Find the people who know something you want to learn and ask them questions. Take advantage of webinars, CE, manufacturer education, your lab, industry groups, and whatever resources you can get your hands on. And when you learn something, use it. That’s where it really starts to stick.
That’s basically how I built my career. I learned something from one person, which usually led me to another question, and then another. Eventually, I went from being the person asking all the questions to being one of the people others came to with questions.
And I think that’s an important part of it too.
If someone shares their knowledge with you, share yours with the next person.
You don’t necessarily need a formal program to keep growing. But you do have to be curious enough to seek the knowledge out.
-Carrie Wilson, MBA, LDO, ABOM, NCLEM
How are traditional opticians redefining the patient experience to compete with automation and internet-based competitors?
My advice is to not be in competition with online providers and embrace automation and technology. I think it’s important for everyone to realize that automation and online providers are meeting a patient’s unmet need. They wouldn’t be successful if they weren’t. As an industry, this may make us uncomfortable. But, it’s also true. So instead of thinking of these as the enemy—this should spark critical thinking of what needs are being fulfilled by these services. Consider whether online services were the most expedient, cost-effective, or provided the most extensive selection. Alternatively, factors such as location or provider availability may pose challenges. It is also possible that patients face difficulties in accessing your services.
After looking at your own business model, you may be looking at the patients you didn’t capture and decide they were not your target customer. I want to stress this is 100%. Not every person should be your target customer, and there’s enough room at the table for everyone.
Instead, I strongly suggest opticians find ways to differentiate their practice and have a clear vision of what their patients’ experience should be. Differentiation can be done a number of ways. Popular examples are through prescription solutions, myopia management, dry eye, ocular aesthetics, in-office technology, or through a carefully curated patient experience.
However you choose to differentiate your practice, you need to talk about it and educate your patients as to why the solutions you are providing them are special and specifically chosen to address their unique needs. A patient’s comprehension of their health investment is paramount, not only for their satisfaction but also for fostering patient loyalty. -Christie Yee, NCLEM, ABOC, COA
For me, it comes down to the human connection. What a privilege it is to be the person who places a patient’s new glasses on their face for the first time and gets to experience that moment with them. We see the smile, the surprise, the confidence and sometimes the emotions when they realize how differently they can see their world. Working with children, I am all too familiar with this first moment. I think a lot every day about what the kids I fit will see first and fill my space with fun and memorable surprises to explore. That’s human connection.
Automation can make us more efficient, and the internet can make eyewear more accessible. Those things can be useful tools. But automation cannot replace human connection, in fact, it makes the lack of human connection glaring. The internet cannot see a patient through human eyes or truly understand how one person describes what they see to another.
A skilled optician notices things an algorithm can’t: how a frame moves when someone smiles, how a child reacts when they first see clearly or if a frame doesn’t fit properly, whether a patient feels confident in what they’re wearing, or the subtle adjustment that transforms a pair of glasses from something they put up with into something they love.
I don’t think our job is to compete with technology by becoming more like technology.
The future of opticianry isn’t about resisting technology. It’s about elevating the expertise and humanity that make an optician irreplaceable.
-Danielle Crull, ABOM
What are the most common knowledge gaps, skills or concepts you have noticed during your time as an educator?
Many people think just inside the box. Let me tell a story. Looking out the window, one sees two men. One digs the hole, while the other one watches. Then they swap, and the other man fills the hole back in while the first one watches. When asked why dig a hole only to fill it back up again the response is: "Oh, we are three-man crew, but the man who puts the tree in the hole isn’t here today because he is sick. We have to ensure that even if it isn’t our job, we understand it and could get help for our patients if necessary. I hear people regularly say, "I don’t have that or don’t go to that conference because my boss won’t pay for it”. We have to want it hard enough to invest in it ourselves and pass it along. -Diane F. Drake, LDO, ABOM, NCLEM, FNAO
One of the biggest things I’ve noticed is that people often know what to do, but they don’t always understand why they’re doing it. Optical is full of processes and rules that people learn on the job—take this measurement, use this lens, don’t do this with that prescription—but sometimes no one ever explains the optics behind it. That becomes a problem when something doesn’t go exactly according to the textbook, because troubleshooting really requires understanding the why.
I also see a lot of gaps around the fundamentals: understanding prescriptions, prism, lens materials, progressive lens design, measurements, and how all of those pieces work together. Sometimes people have been in the industry for years but were simply never taught certain concepts.
Another big one is product knowledge. And I don’t mean memorizing every progressive lens or coating on the market. I think the bigger skill is understanding how to evaluate a product and match it to the patient. We tend to get comfortable with our go-to products, and that can turn into recommending the same thing over and over instead of asking, “What is actually the best choice for this patient?”
And then there’s troubleshooting. I think that’s one of the areas where people are the least confident. When a patient says, "I can’t see,” where do you start? Is it the prescription? Measurements? Lens design? Frame fit? Expectations? There’s a process to working through that, and when you understand the fundamentals, troubleshooting becomes much less intimidating.
Probably the biggest thing I’ve learned as an educator is that a lot of knowledge gaps aren’t because people aren’t capable or don’t want to learn. They just haven’t had someone explain it to them yet. That’s why knowledge sharing in our industry is so important.
-Carrie Wilson, MBA, LDO, ABOM, NCLEM
How do we help opticians with legacy mindsets to become comfortable with using new technologies?
I remember in 1983 when my father was trying to teach our hairdresser how to boot her computer. He told her "Type PR#6 then enter.” The key on her keyboard was marked "Return” not enter. She typed "PR#6 then enter” and called him back in a panic when it didn’t work.
Legacy opticians sometimes stay in their roles because they get to deal in eyeglasses, screws and people and do not have to keep up with technological advances. Futurist Lisa Kay Solomon calls this NUTS: Never Up to Speed. The thing about the current pace of change is that it’s all NUTS. With the speed of advances ever accelerating, the expectation is that by the time you master a technology, the technology will change.
Additionally, I think we all could stand to recognize where we are on the curve of technology adopters. Are you an Innovator? An early adopter? Early with the majority? Late with the majority or a Laggard? There is no judgement with your willingness to engage with technology. Perhaps you just hold a higher standard of proof before being willing to accept that technology is right for you. The great news is that there are ever better tools for helping us understand these advances.
Technologies have come a long way since the PR#6 boot command of the early 80s. Interfaces are far more intuitive than ever. My imagination is that the first resistance a legacy optician faces is a result of a past traumatic interaction with technology, whether it was a term paper that got deleted with a mouse click, or a painful learning curve. Interfaces we are talking about are far more designed than ever to be intuitive. Start with curiosity. Ask some questions: What can this thing even do? How will it make my life easier? Can I mess it up?
The trick then is knowing who to ask that question of. There are two great places. First, ask people in your practice or family that seem to embrace technology easily. Questions like those above are likely to be met with compassion and guidance. The second is to ask AI. As soon as someone puts a meaningful question into an AI agent and gets a meaningful—almost human—answer, they realize that the patience barrier is eliminated. AI will break down steps, explain details, re-explain, create walk-through guides and more to help us engage with new technologies. -Cira Collins, MPH, ABOM, NCLEC, LDO
What is your advice to an optical professional who is just beginning their journey toward certification or licensure?
My advice is to learn from every avenue possible. Learn from other opticians, optometrists, ophthalmologists, technicians, receptionists, ocularists everyone who plays a role in caring for the patient. The more you understand about each part of the process and how those pieces come together, the better optician you will become.
Most importantly, ask questions. Never become comfortable simply not knowing something because someone else does. Surround yourself with professionals who are willing to share their knowledge and experience. And if you aren’t fortunate enough to have those people around you, keep learning anyway. Read, study, seek out resources, and educate yourself. Eventually, you’ll find that the questions you ask don’t just help you learn, they will make the people around you think, too.
Certification or licensure may be the goal, but becoming a great optician should be a lifelong process.
-Danielle Crull, ABOM
What expanded roles for opticians can you imagine within the optical industry in the next 5–10 years?
Over the next 5 to 10 years, I hope we will see new certifications for specialized opticianry roles such as refracting opticians, low vision specialists, and therapeutic lens specialists. I also believe that earning ABO/NCLE certification should be recognized with higher pay than non-certified dispensers, and that additional certifications should similarly lead to increased compensation or higher starting salaries.
As the industry evolves, opticians can play an even greater role in delivering specialized, high-quality patient care—and expanded certification pathways would help support that growth.
-Deborah Kotob, ABOM
Let’s first talk about what is coming in the next 5-10 years:
Smart Eyewear will likely be up to 25% of your eyewear sales.
The utility of smart eyewear will compound to the average consumer, becoming more intuitive, necessary and helpful.
The use case for smart eyewear in the medical market will expand. The health-tracking technologies like Apple Health and Oura rings have proven that there is tremendous utility to consumers and providers alike in having multiple data points on health metrics. Smart eyewear will not only connect us to our friends, family and workplaces, but it will also deliver meaningful data to our providers. What if your eyewear tracked all the macros of the food you consume or measured how often and how well you complete your physical therapy?
This is the most important—technology will be able to do a lot of things, but there will always be a level of distrust. The optician’s humanity, ability to guide, empathize and uncover and meet the needs of real people is not replaceable. And I will never adjust glasses.
So if were to imagine the job description of the future, know that your human skills of persuasion, comfort and being a decision making partner are critical to your success. But so are the abilities to help your patients connect with technology. Selection, fitting, connecting, managing subscription services, engagement with smart eyewear applications or troubleshooting smart eyewear will all be necessary skills—and you don’t have those skills yet. We are preparing for something that no one is prepared for. But we will figure it out.
-Cira Collins, MPH, ABOM, NCLEC, LDO
What was your masters designation topic and why?
While I was studying for the refractometry course that was given by OAA with Ed August and Joe Solicito as instructors, my mother came in to my office. We were discussing her lack of enjoyment of reading. Something clicked as I watched her. I realized that she had a slight phoria. I mentioned to the doctor and she was tested and low and behold, she had a phoria. It was corrected. While she had always been an outstanding student, if her phoria had been caught earlier, her entire life would have been different. So, the title of my paper was: The Professional Optician - Technical Optician V/S Dispensing Optician - Is there a Difference? It included history of opticianry, anatomy and physiology of the eye, extra-ocular muscles and how they work and deficiencies. Then it discussed not only having that knowledge but being able to convey that knowledge to our patients through good communication. Today, we see people who can sell but lack product knowledge. We also see people who have great product knowledge but lack people/communication skills. We need both.
-Diane F. Drake, LDO, ABOM, NCLEM, FNAO
When I earned my ABO Master’s certification, the requirement was to write a thesis paper on an advanced topic. My topic was photochemical injury and retinal damage from sunlight. I first began learning about UV and HEV light-induced photochemical damage to the eye while working at Vision Ease. At the time, I trained trainers on how attenuating specific wavelengths of light could reduce photochemical damage to ocular tissues and retinal cells. When it came time to choose a thesis topic, I selected this subject because I already had a strong knowledge base and a solid library of resources—but also because I saw it as an opportunity to explore the topic in greater depth.
My fascination with optics continues to grow, especially in the areas of light, vision, how we see, particularly color vision, and how we correct vision.
-Deborah Kotob, ABOM
Looking back to before you were certified in any capacity, what advice would today's you provide to apprentice you?
Wow, that’s going back 30 years, and so much has changed since then—not just in the industry, but in how we access information and learn. I think the biggest thing I would tell apprentice me is to keep asking questions and stay curious. Back then, we didn’t have the same access to information we have today. You mostly learned from the people around you, textbooks that were often years old, CEs, and sometimes by making mistakes and figuring out why something didn’t work.
I’d also tell myself that you will never know everything. Optical is so broad, and the more you learn, the more you realize how much there is to know. Thirty years later, I’m still learning and still making mistakes.
And don’t get too stuck on something just because that’s the way you were taught to do it. Our industry, technology, and products change. A technique or tool may have had a very legitimate purpose when you learned it, but that doesn’t mean it will always be the best way to do something. You have to be willing to challenge what you know and change with the industry.
Pay attention to the people who are willing to share their knowledge. Ask them why. Ask them to show you. Build on what they teach you, but don’t be afraid to question it as you learn more.
Most importantly, don’t just learn how to do something—learn why it works. That’s what gives you the ability to troubleshoot, adapt, make better decisions, and eventually teach someone else.
So, my advice would be: stay curious, ask questions, be willing to change your thinking, and never assume you’re finished learning. I’m certainly not.
-Carrie Wilson, MBA, LDO, ABOM, NCLEM
The future of opticianry depends on the professionals willing to invest in it. Share this article with a colleague, support an emerging optician, and continue building the knowledge, connections, and leadership that will shape our profession for generations to come.
Written by: Carissa Dunphy, ABOC
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