Table 1Transition record

opticiantooptometrist

A optician already meets 66% of what the optometrist role asks for. The move turns on 15 required skills not yet in the profile.

From optician

66%

Overlap1

To optometrist

38 Skills carried over

15 Required, not held

51.5 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 51.5

This move: 51.5 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the optometrist role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the optician profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 38 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A optometrist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a optician background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held advise on contact lense maintenance communication, collaboration and creativity
already held quality standards of ophthalmic equipment business, administration and law
already held eye protection regulations services
already held use ophthalmic instruments working with machinery and specialised equipment
already held advise customers on optical instruments maintenance communication, collaboration and creativity
already held optical instruments health and welfare

All 38 carried skills, including the 31 the optometrist role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 22 missing skills fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 assisting and caring 5 required, 3 supplementary

required, not held fit contact lenses required
required, not held prescribe corrective lenses required
required, not held provide therapy of the visual system required
required, not held refer healthcare users required
required, not held test visual acuity required

optional, not held administer medication for vision problems optional
optional, not held provide domiciliary eyecare optional
optional, not held perform vision rehabilitation optional

02 information skills 5 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held perform comprehensive eye examinations required
required, not held perform ocular tonometry required
required, not held determine eye disease progression required
required, not held diagnose problems of the visual system required
required, not held record healthcare users' billing information required

optional, not held record healthcare users' progress related to treatment optional

03 communication, collaboration and creativity 4 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held advise patients on vision improvement conditions required
required, not held promote ocular health required
required, not held communicate in healthcare required
required, not held implement marketing strategies required

optional, not held implement sales strategies optional

04 health and welfare 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held refraction of the eye required

optional, not held preventive medicine optional

05 handling and moving 1 supplementary

optional, not held participate in medical inventory control optional

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a optometrist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 38 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held accept own accountability skill
already held adhere to organisational guidelines skill
already held advise customers on optical instruments maintenance skill
already held advise on contact lense maintenance skill
already held advise on healthcare users' informed consent skill
already held apply context specific clinical competences skill
already held apply numeracy skills skill
already held apply organisational techniques skill
already held comply with legislation related to health care skill
already held comply with quality standards related to healthcare practice skill
already held deal with emergency care situations skill
already held educate on the prevention of illness skill
already held empathise with the healthcare user skill
already held ensure safety of healthcare users skill
already held eye protection regulations knowledge
already held follow clinical guidelines skill
already held have computer literacy skill
already held inform policy makers on health-related challenges skill
already held interact with healthcare users skill
already held listen actively skill
already held manage healthcare users' data skill
already held manage staff skill
already held optical glass characteristics knowledge
already held optical instruments knowledge
already held process payments skill
already held promote inclusion skill
already held quality standards of ophthalmic equipment knowledge
already held respond to changing situations in health care skill
already held use ophthalmic instruments skill
already held work in a multicultural environment in health care skill
already held work in multidisciplinary health teams skill
already held contribute to continuity of health care skill
already held develop a collaborative therapeutic relationship skill
already held provide health education skill
already held provide treatment strategies for challenges to human health skill
already held use e-health and mobile health technologies skill
already held use foreign languages for health-related research skill
already held use foreign languages in patient care skill

7 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held administer medication for vision problems optional
optional, not held provide domiciliary eyecare optional
optional, not held implement sales strategies optional
optional, not held perform vision rehabilitation optional
optional, not held record healthcare users' progress related to treatment optional
optional, not held participate in medical inventory control optional
optional, not held preventive medicine optional

23 held skills the optometrist role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role achieve sales targets skill
not needed by the target role adjust eyeglasses skill
not needed by the target role advise customers on eyewear maintenance skill
not needed by the target role comply with optical prescriptions skill
not needed by the target role cut lenses for eyeglasses skill
not needed by the target role dispense corrective lenses skill
not needed by the target role ensure client orientation skill
not needed by the target role fit low vision aids skill
not needed by the target role handle contact lenses skill
not needed by the target role health care legislation knowledge
not needed by the target role maintain records of clients' prescriptions skill
not needed by the target role maintain relationship with customers skill
not needed by the target role maintain relationship with suppliers skill
not needed by the target role make referrals to ophthalmology skill
not needed by the target role monitor stock level skill
not needed by the target role operate cash register skill
not needed by the target role operate optical measuring equipment skill
not needed by the target role perform frames' repairs skill
not needed by the target role prepare optical laboratory activities skill
not needed by the target role repair lenses skill
not needed by the target role sell optical products skill
not needed by the target role use lensometer skill
not needed by the target role verify lenses compliance skill

2 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held refraction of the eye required
optional, not held preventive medicine optional

Index

Other moves recorded from optician

Full index of moves from optician

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.