Do you ever wonder how spectacle frames are designed? Students at the Royal College of Art have a chance to take part in an exciting design competition each year, and the winning frames are displayed at the eyewear industry's trade show, 100% Optical. Read on to meet one of this year's finalists. What encouraged you to enter the competition and design your first glasses? The competition and brief allowed us to experiment with materials and processes new to us. For…
Do you ever wonder how spectacle frames are designed? Students at the Royal College of Art have a chance to take part in an exciting design competition each year, and the winning frames are displayed at the eyewear industry's trade show, 100% Optical. Read on to meet one of this year's finalists. What encouraged you to enter the competition and design your first glasses? My background is in architecture. When I first got into fashion, I found that accessories, as…
The Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers (WCSM) sounds ancient but has a modern purpose. Its mission is to support better vision for all, and it has a membership scheme that welcomes young people working in eyecare as well as those committed to improving vision. The Company was founded in 1629 and is living proof that eye health is so much more than a presence on the High Street. The name could be misleading as WCSM members don’t all make spectacles. When…
Do you ever wonder how spectacle frames are designed? Students at the Royal College of Art have a chance to take part in an exciting design competition each year, and the winning frames are displayed at the eyewear industry's trade show, 100% Optical. Read on to meet this year's winner. What encouraged you to enter the competition and design your first glasses? I was always interested in accessory design and the product development process behind it. Coming from an Animation and…
Exams are starting and the pressure is hotting up to keep on revising. Here are some tips on how to revise when time is short. Use any spare moments for revision. Make the most of bus trips or the moments while you are waiting for the kettle to boil.Practise regularly - every day is better than once a week. Keep cards of key facts in your pocket or bag so you can review them regularly. Arrange your revision into short…
Do you ever wonder how spectacle frames are designed? Students at the Royal College of Art have a chance to take part in an exciting design competition each year, and the winning frames are displayed at the eyewear industry's trade show, 100% Optical. Read on to find out more about the competition and meet some of this year's winners. The competition has been a collaboration with the Royal College of Art Fashion Masters degree and School of Design and the 100% Optical…
If you are leaving school this summer, it is a great time to think about your options. You may want to go on to further education or higher education, but you might want to get a job. There are a number of roles for young people working in eyecare. Becoming an optical assistant is a great place to start. This is a good role for you if you like working with people. You could also be interested in fashion, technology,…
ABDO College offers a choice of two distance learning courses on the route to becoming a qualified dispensing optician (DO): Foundation Degree /BSc (Hons) in Ophthalmic Dispensing (Year 1)Fellowship Dispensing Diploma courses (Year 1) Option 1A two-year Foundation Degree course followed by a third year BSc Degree course in Ophthalmic Dispensing – leading to BSc (Hons) and the ABDO Level 6 FBDO qualifications. Option 2A three-year diploma course in Ophthalmic Dispensing – leading to the ABDO Level 6 FBDO qualification.…
By Mark Nevey, FBDO The pressures of studying can be challenging at the best of times and working towards the DO diploma or degree is no different. When challenges present themselves in your personal life, it can make studying feel even harder. However, support is always at hand. I experienced such a challenge first-hand when I undertook the second year of my DO diploma at ABDO College and my wife and I discovered that we were pregnant with our first…
If you are early in your career, have you thought about management as an option for you? Whilst many people will tell you that experience is key, and it certainly is important, there are ways that you can train towards a management role. The first thing to consider is what type of management role you may want and be well suited to. There are opportunities at different levels. Think about which areas you would like to learn more about and…