About opticians
Opticians are regulated health professionals who supply, prepare and dispense optical appliances by interpreting prescriptions that have been prepared by ophthalmologists and optometrists. They then adjust and adapt glasses, contact lenses or special-needs vision devices to ensure their fit.
Opticians work in optical retail outlets or other establishments with optical dispensing departments. They may also be self-employed.
CIHI collects high-level, standardized information on more than 30 groups of health care professionals in Canada. This includes information on their supply, distribution, demographics and regulatory environment. To find out more about CIHI’s health workforce data, visit the Health Workforce Database metadata page.
To learn more about opticians, contact us at hhr@cihi.ca.