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Follow the links below to find material targeted to the unit's elements, performance criteria, required skills and knowledge

Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Elements define the essential outcomes
2. Confirm appliance selection
   • Check appliance selection against prescription details or customer record
   • Confirm selection with client
   • Gain consent from client for fitting where applicable
3. Fit optical appliances
   • Organise required fitting equipment and materials
   • Correctly interpret technical aspects of customer requirements from records
   • Follow standard fitting procedures and take account of special client needs
   • Adjust frames to client to optimise visual performance
   • Ensure optical appliances meet hygiene standards
   • Give the client the opportunity to voice concerns in relation to optical appliance and make appropriate response
4. Instruct client on wear and care
   • Provide client with details about how to wear the appliance
   • Offer information about appliance care routines
5. Finalise dispensing process
   • Complete financial transactions in accordance with relevant policies and procedures
   • Follow correct procedures for client rebates
   • Complete and store records in accordance with relevant policies, procedures and confidentiality requirements
   • Offer follow up services in accordance with organisation procedures

Performance Evidence

The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role. There must be evidence that the candidate has:

performed the activities outlined in the performance criteria of this unit during a period of at least 100 hours of direct client contact work

dispensed optical appliances to at least 5 different clients

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Knowledge Evidence

The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the work role. This includes knowledge of:

legal and ethical considerations for dispensing optical advice to clients:

duty of care

informed consent

privacy, confidentiality and disclosure

records management

work role boundaries – responsibilities and limitations

work health and safety

how to interpret and transpose an optical prescription

anatomy and physiology of the eyes, including:

common disorders of the eye

structure of the human eye and its physiological functioning

the procedures involved in cataract extraction with intra-ocular lenses, including multifocal and toric IOL and factors that may influence the dispensing process

implant and refractive surgery

basic theory of light, including:

basic calculation of angles of incidence, refraction, deviation and critical angles

how light is propagated and how commonly observed effects may occur

various light-induced phenomena

ophthalmic prism, including:

effects of ophthalmic prism upon the eyes, and the need for ophthalmic prism in prescriptions

solving by both calculation and graphical methods, a variety of prism problems

the relationship between lens power, decentration and prism

the use of a tangent scale to measure ophthalmic prism

effect produced by varying the index, diameter, prismatic specifications, or form of a lens

the processes and assessment of vision, colour vision and perception

optical calculations and measurements, including measurements to determine the inter-pupillary distance and fitting heights for all lenses

effects produced by varying the index, diameter, prismatic specifications and form of a lens

features of spherical lenses and their suitability for different customers, including:

concepts of vergence and their use in optical calculations

how to construct diagrams to illustrate image formation using simple ray-tracing techniques

refractive effects of a lens as the sum of its 2 surface powers

refractive properties of spherical lens surfaces

features of astigmatic lenses and their suitability for different customers, including:

how to perform calculations related to the application of astigmatic lenses in optical prescriptions

formulae required to calculate the centre and edge thickness of spherical and astigmatic lenses

nature of astigmatism

the difference between cylindrical and sphero-cylindrical for astigmatic conditions

various forms of astigmatic lenses

features of contact lenses and their suitability for different customers, including:

acceptable hygiene standards

examples of causes of wearing problems and lens hygiene and the correct procedures for lens maintenance

relevant Quality Assurance Standards

the correct methods of contact lens handling, insertion and removal

the parameters of contact lenses from prescription data supplied

how lenses are manufactured

features and options for multifocal and progressive lenses

commonly occurring problems and potential solutions in a dispensing situation

requirements of dispensing spectacles to clients with special or complex needs, including:

commonly occurring problems in a dispensing situation and possible solutions

the appropriate action to be taken according to prescription requirements and the special needs of the client

visual screening

how to determine criteria influencing dispensing procedures necessary for aspheric lenses

referral protocol and procedures

health fund and rebate requirements

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