In this exclusive feature series, we dig into the forces transforming opticianry today—and how this sea change impacts and benefits the broader vision care delivery team, from OD to MD and beyond. Here, in Part Two, we take a deep dive into the big changes in on the horizon driven by the United Opticians Association.
As dynamic new leadership takes charge of the American Board of Opticianry (ABO), the primary goal of the organization is for every optician in every state across the United States to “Get Certified. Stay Certified.” The ABO is the certification organization for U.S. opticians (along with the National Contact Lens Examiners), and their leaders believe it’s time for every optician in the country to be regulated.
Phernell Walker, MBA, ABOM, NCLEC, LDO, was just named chairperson of the board of the ABO. Among his responsibilities is setting the goals of the organization and making sure it meets the needs of the 75,000-plus opticians throughout the country.
“I’m trying to elevate the profession. When most people think of opticians, they think of a salesperson who puts screws in frames, counts the frames, and greets the patient. Nothing could be further from the truth,” says Walker.
“We are going to change the face of opticianry forever,” he continues, describing his goals to elevate the profession. “We have a strategy in place, and we are going to do this.”
Three Areas of Focus
More specifically, the ABO’s plan to transform the profession of opticianry features three key pillars: leadership, education, and legislation.
Two of those pillars—leadership and education—work together when it comes to Walker’s role with the ABO that he describes as “making sure we have an exam that represents not only the present but the future of opticianry. My vision is to tie that all together.”
“We are going to change the face of opticianry forever. We have a strategy in place, and we are going to do this.”
Phernell Walker, MBA, ABOM, NCLEC, LDO
It Starts with Leadership and Education
This is where the pillars of leadership and education come in and work together—putting the right leaders in place to ensure certified opticians have the education they need. “I’m changing the board now to be more inclusive of formal educators coming from the former National Federation of Opticianry Schools,” says Walker. (The National Federation of Opticianry Schools merged in July 2024 with the Opticians Association of America to form the United Opticians Association.)
Changing leadership to include more educators will ensure the exams that opticians take to be certified prepare them for a lifelong career as the future of opticianry evolves.
“I’m one of the people who actually wrote the American Board of Opticianry exams, including the advanced exams,” says Walker. “Those people need to come from different parts of the profession to make sure we have leaders who are not just leading but who understand the needs of the present opticians in the future.”
Legislating Licensure
The third pillar, legislation, is likely to be the most challenging as its goal is to pass laws that will achieve licensure for opticians in every state. Currently, only 22 states require some form of licensure or certification to practice opticianry. Walker explains why that must change:
“Just as health care is changing into a more holistic model that treats the whole patient simultaneously, so is opticianry transforming into a more interactive role within eye care. “Practicing holistic health care has spilled into eye care,” says Walker. “Oculomics plays a huge role in understanding and treating the whole person. So, the walls that exist between traditional optometry and opticianry have to come down in order to treat the patient. So, my vision for the future is that we can create a more holistic eye care model similar to what’s happened in medicine overall.”
Walker acknowledges the current challenges in the mix. “The problem is that you could be in a non-licensed state and literally be bagging groceries one day and the next day walk into an optical and get a job as an optician,” he continues. “That’s a huge problem, because lens technology is so advanced now that the question becomes how is that person going to be able to understand how to fit the patient and how to troubleshoot issues that come up?
“So, the optician has to expand, and the only way to do that is first through certification, eventually leading to licensure, and that certification needs to make sure that it understands the needs of opticianry.”
“Practicing holistic health care has spilled into eye care. So, the walls that exist between traditional optometry and opticianry have to come down in order to treat the patient.”
Phernell Walker, MBA, ABOM, NCLEC, LDO
How will that licensure be achieved? Through legislation. The process has already begun in some states, specifically Pennsylvania, where the United Opticians Association is working with Pennsylvania Representative Manuel Guzman (D) to sponsor a bill that will create the Pennsylvania State Board of Opticianry and require opticians in Pennsylvania to be certified. If successful, the UOA will work toward similar legislation in other non-regulated states.
The ABO and UOA are working together toward these goals. In addition to his role as board chair of the ABO, Walker is also treasurer on the executive board of directors of the UOA.
“We’re 100% behind the efforts of the UOA,” says Walker. Like the ABO, the UOA’s goal is to expand opticianry licensure to all 50 states. Working together and implementing the ABO’s three-pronged approach of leadership, education, and legislation, the time may be coming when opticianry’s leaders will positively change the face of their profession.
Want to Learn More? Watch our IRIS Magazine ‘Parting Glance’ interview podcast episode with ABO Chairperson and Master Optician Phernell Walker HERE.