Pay It Forward

Does life seem repetitive? Do you sometimes feel that being an optician is a bit like groundhog day? Maybe you are limiting your own enjoyment of life?

At a recent event, I was having my usual chat with the students about what they will do after they qualify and I suddenly felt myself getting more passionate as I spoke. I’d tapped into my strong belief that we owe it to ourselves, our colleagues, and our patients to enjoy our profession.

The easiest way to do this is to get involved. CPD gives us an opportunity to learn and develop, but it’s more than that. When I qualified, 1.6, 1.61, and 1.74 lenses hadn’t yet been invented; I used to recommend point focal lenses especially to hyperopes, and 80 percent of my dispensing had glass lenses – yes, even the rimless! Our product portfolio has changed over the last 40 years, and it will keep changing. We need to keep studying, developing, and learning, because our industry partners and suppliers keep inventing new and better things that we don’t know about yet. 

Beyond the practice working environment, there is the opportunity to pay back. We’re very lucky – there is little unemployment within optics and, let’s be honest, it’s not cold or wet or even dirty work in the majority of practices. But we have organizations beyond our practice doors that need support and deserve it – Local Optical Committees (LOCs), Area Optical Committees (AOCs), and Regional Opticals Committees (ROCs) – or maybe the General Optical Council (GOC)? Or what about getting more involved with your professional body or becoming an STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) ambassador? A wise friend always told me, “If you’re feeling down, go and find someone you can help – it always cheers me up!”

Being involved in your profession helps other people, helps you feel better, and gives you the opportunity to be part of the profession’s overall development. And it can help you stay in love with your day job.