Professionals who work at optical stores, like optometrists
At some point in their life, every Finn needs help with their eyesight. This is when they will almost invariably seek help at an optical store. Every year, around one million Finns annually visit an optician, or an optometrist as they are now called, to have their eyes tested, while almost half a million Finns visit an ophthalmologist. The barrier to see an optician is low, in part because there are optical stores in almost every municipality in Finland. A network of nearly 700 optical stores covers the entirety of Finland.
The optical industry includes, among other things, optical stores, optical wholesalers, and eye care services. The optical industry plays a significant role in maintaining eye health. Professionals in the optical industry help people take care of their vision and detect potential eye diseases early on.
Optics stores combine product retail with health care services
As defined by law, an optical store is a healthcare facility. The licensed optometrists working there are licensed health care professionals, while ophthalmologists, or eye specialists, are physicians specialising in eye diseases. Private eyecare service facilities – optical stores with their ophthalmology services, eye hospitals and the ophthalmology services at private health clinics – are responsible for primary eyecare services. Primary eyecare services cover measuring the operation of the visual system as well as the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of eye health and the most common eye diseases.
In Finland, public health care takes care of specialised medical care services for eye conditions.
An optical store also sells specialised eyewear products and services. These include glasses, sunglasses and contact lenses. Optical stores also offer many services related to vision and eye health, from eye examinations to various laboratory tests. All the products and services are characterised by high quality and responsibility.
Professionals working in optical stores
Various vision and eyecare professionals work in optical stores.
An optometrist is a licensed optician with an education that grants them a limited right to prescribe medication and qualifications to conduct eye health examinations. Optometrists also perform eye exams and prescribe and fit eyeglasses, contact lenses, and assistive devices for people with visual impairments. An optometrist is obliged to refer the customer to an ophthalmologist if normal visual acuity cannot be achieved or the customer has an eye disease. An optometrist has the right to prescribe eyeglasses, with the written authorization of an ophthalmologist, to a person who has an eye disease or who has undergone eye surgery.
A licensed optician is a licensed eyecare professional who examines vision problems. Compared to an optometrist, an optician’s basic education is less extensive in relation to eye health. Opticians must complete separate further training to gain a limited right to prescribe medication. The last opticians graduated in December 2014.
An optician or an optometrist? In everyday language, Finns often mistakenly use the term optician. However, most Finns usually deal with an optometrist. Today, all optometry students are granted a limited right to prescribe medication as part of their basic education; in other words, they graduate directly as optometrists. In Finland, an optician is usually an optometrist.
An ophthalmologist, or an eye specialist, is a general physician specialising in the treatment of eye diseases. A licensed physician decides on the patient’s medical examination, diagnosis, and related treatment. Ophthalmologists also conduct small procedures and surgical procedures, such as vision correction surgery and cataract surgery.
An eye surgeon is an ophthalmologist who has completed specialised training and performs procedures such as cataract, strabismus, and refractive surgeries. Corrective surgeries, such as glaucoma and eyelid surgeries, are also part of an eye surgeon’s scope of practice, not to mention lacrimal duct surgery.
An ophthalmic nurse is a registered nurse or public health nurse who specialises in eye care. Ophthalmic – or eye care – nurses work in hospitals and eye clinics.
An optical sales assistant, on the other hand, is an expert in the optical field who helps customers find the right vision solutions, such as eyeglasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses.