The College of Optometrists

what are the common occupations discussed in prescription analysis? and any tips for suggesting what type of lenses you would dispense?

eg, for a dentist, golfer, painter, etc. For a painter would it be suitable to suggest somthing like saftey specs? as im thinking along the lines that the patient would be using solvents. Any suggestions?

I think that is being over cautious. You just have to look at kids painting in schools. If there was a significant risk they would be covering their backs and making every kid where safety specs just like with conkers!

If they ask you about a painter you should be thinking about the tasks they do and possibly using a executive bifocal on it's side (the dividing line between distance and near vertical). So if the painter normally works with his easel to his right and looks at his subject in the distance to the left...

With the dentist I'd be more inclined to prescribe safety specs do to risk of cross infection from Px. Blood and bits of teeth can go anywhere!

Whenever they give you an occupation you have to think what do they do most of. If they do a lot of distance work like the pro golfer then you don't want a near seg to get in the way and is why Norville do a golfing bif with a very small seg.

With the dentist he uses int and mostly near so may want a bifocal with int portion and a large near portion like a executive bif or 45 D seg.

All of the examples will have a suitable lens within the Norville catalogue and this can be found online at http://www.norville.co.uk/students_catalogue.asp

It might be an idea to familiarise yourself with a couple of problem solvers - a lens suitable for a few different tasks.

E.g. Pilot - double D seg for near work above and below

Drafts man- Norville continuum (very small power range)

PS - the examiner gives you a Norville catalogue to look through before ordering the lens.

cheers budd.

The 2 main things to worry about when they ask you about occupational specific dispensing for a dentist is:-

* hydrophobic coat on the lenses

* UV blocker coz dentists use UV to set fillings