I bet you are all thinking, what is ABDO? If you work within the optical arena, especially in the UK then you will know ABDO. For my consumers that aren’t in the industry, ABDO is the college which trains basically all of the dispensing opticians we see, nationwide. If you are not sure what the role of a dispensing optician is, let me tell you.
They fit your glasses according to the prescription given to them by the optometrist who does all the eye examinations. I guess they are like a pharmacist, read the prescription given by the doctor then prescribe the medicine accordingly to patients, and also give advice.
The role of a dispensing optician is varied because they will understand the relationship between the prescription and the glasses. Certain prescriptions are not suitable for certain frames and this is the type of information your dispensing optician can provide when picking your frame after your eye test. When you go to pick up your new frame, they will also fit them onto you to ensure everything is ok.
New leaflet by ABDO for patients
So ABDO is the college which trains them up in the UK. Before, ABDO had always been focused on providing the industry with all the latest news and information. Now they have launched a series of leaflets aimed at consumers. Why is that a good thing? Well, from my point of view, before I worked in optical, I always found that there wasn’t enough reliable sources of information out there for consumers. I’ve also found that if you do ask questions at your opticians, they may use technical terminology forgetting that most of us do not understand the industry jargon.
New leaflet by ABDO for patients
These new leaflets are designed to be really easy to understand with no industry jargon but at the same time give you all the information you need. The best bit is that ABDO is probably the most reliable source out there. Next time if you have any concerns regarding your eye health then check out these leaflets which may be stocked in your local opticians or you can head to eyecareFAQ which is run by ABDO.