Optikko

Optikko is the Finnish term for a dispensing optician, a professional who works in optical shops to help customers obtain vision-correcting eyewear based on prescriptions from eye health professionals. An optikko may measure frame size and pupillary distance, select and fit frames, order lenses, and adjust eyewear for comfort and proper lens alignment. They may also assist with basic contact lens fitting. They do not perform medical eye examinations or diagnose diseases; those tasks are carried out by optometrists or ophthalmologists.

Training and licensure vary by country. Generally, opticians complete a post-secondary program in optics or optical dispensing and may obtain certification or licensure. Some jurisdictions require continuing education to maintain credentials. The exact scope of practice differs: in some places, opticians may fit contact lenses or perform certain lens-processing tasks under regulation, while in others their duties are more restricted to frame fitting and lens selection.

Etymology and history: The word optikko derives from the Greek optikos, meaning sight or vision, via Latin opticus and the English term optician. The profession developed with the spread of spectacles in Europe, evolving into specialized shops that cut, mount, and fit lenses to frames and provide guidance on lens options and measurements.

In modern practice, optiko work in retail chains, independent optical shops, and clinics, collaborating with optometrists and ophthalmologists to ensure accurate prescriptions, proper frame and lens fitting, lens options (such as single-vision, bifocal, or progressive lenses), coatings, and frame maintenance. The role remains central to delivering correctly fitted eyewear and practical vision solutions.