Description

The latest machinery is capable of automating many of the processes involved and has thus reduced the need for employing several highly skilled staff. This is not to say that the need for all skills has been eliminated – even with automatic processes, the lenses still have to finished and fitted to the frame and this does require a certain level of skill. The fitting of a perfectly edged lens can still be carried out badly, usually resulting in a distorted or damaged frame. An Optician can now either learn the remaining skills, or employ a technician to carry out the work.

This move to more automated machinery has also broadened the scope of work that can be carried out in the practice workshop.

Originally, the work that was possible covered:

Of course, some of the above processes are not essential and, due to the cost involved, are only economically viable in the very large practice, such as an Optical Superstore, or where a group of practices share one central workshop. This is particularly applicable in the case of surfacing where several pieces of equipment are required, each quite expensive.

The type of service envisaged would govern the final choice of equipment and any practice contemplating this additional workload must think through their requirements quite carefully, before embarking on the venture. The final decision will depend to a great extent on the type of business normally expected in the practice.