Laura Campbell Franklin Cummings, Boston, MA John Michael Morris Family Scholarship Opticianry Student 4/17/2023 My Future: A Career in Opticianry Opticianry is defined by a licensed professional who is able to design and dispense lenses, frames, and contacts to patients. Before diving into this career, I had never truly understood the purpose of an optician. I had always gone to see my optometrist for routine eye care, and it was not until I was given my first pair of glasses that I discovered my love for frames. Even without any knowledge, a whole world opened up. The possibilities of the different colors, designs, lens coatings, lens materials, seemed to be endless and it really excited me, especially now that I had become an avid eye glass wearer. When I graduated high school, I knew I wanted to help people. I loved people, I found them fascinating, interesting and fun! I double majored in criminal justice and psychology, learning about the good and bad within the human population. Though I graduated with flying colors, it was not the path that was meant for me. I bartended for a while after, trying to figure out where I wanted to go from there. I explored nursing and dentistry, which were both wonderful career paths but did not feel right to me. Then it hit me, why not pursue a career in what I already had passion for. Vision is so important for people to function in their daily lives. All age groups need help in this department whether it be a small child who was born with visual issues, a teenager just getting glasses for the first time, or an adult who needs to change their lens style; the list goes on. I decided this was the career for me. When I started going to school, I loved opticianry even more. I find the anatomy to be wildly interesting, and working with patients to help them feel comfortable in their vision correction is so important. I am learning so much about the field, and cannot wait to graduate, become licensed, and work at my own optical shop. Opticians are all different, but I plan to take what I know and change people's lives. My background in psychology has really helped me understand how the human brain functions, depending on the age group. I plan to use that knowledge to relate to my patients. Communicating in the right way is key when connecting with patients. Each person is vastly different. In addition, making people feel comfortable is so important as well, and throughout my past bartending, I consider that a very strong skill of mine. Working as an optician, you have to deal with people directly, and make them feel comfortable with you and the knowledge you have. I plan to make all my patients know that because of my passion for this field, I will put all that passion into helping them get the vision care they deserve. I want my office to be welcoming and exciting to adults, and children alike. I also want my patients to feel a sense of warmth when they come in, resonating from me and the environment. I consider myself to be a person that will not give up even when things get tough, I apply this drive to everything that I do. I have been doing really well in the Opticianry program I am taking, and know I deserve to succeed, and will use what I have learned to bring a hardworking, driven, outgoing, positive Optician into the working field.