You may ask, what are some of the common tools of a certified option? Lets take a look at some of the common optician tools you will learn to use in your optician training.
Nose Adjustment Pliers- A small pair of pliers with a little indention near the front. This tool gives you the ability to bend and adjust in small increments the nose pad and nose pad arm.
Round Flat Pliers- One half of these unique pliers consists of a flat wider side wrapped with a nylon sleeve. This is to eliminate damage to anything that has a coating or finish on the glass frames. This tool will be used to tighten or widen the temple on either side of the frame.
Flat Nose Pliers- These pliers consist of two flat sides that are both wrapped in nylon sleeves. This tool can also make adjustments to tighten or widen the sides of a frame, although more commonly used for plastic frames because of thickness. This optician tool also works well on nose pads needing pushed and snapped into place.
Chain Nose Pliers- This optician tool will be used to hold intricate pieces as screws on the temples of frames. You may also find yourself using these with nose pads and nose pads arms.
Clipping Pliers- These clippers can be used for a variety of tasks when working on glass frames. Some of the uses are cutting screws off and cutting nylon string on a semi rimless frame. A note, you would not want to use this optician tool to cut titanium, this may result in dulling the tool.
Eye Wire Shaping Tool- You probably will not find yourself using this tool quite often, but still very handy and useful to know how. If you are not able to get a lens to fit in the frame properly, you can use this tool to bend the frame where needed.
Axis Rotating Pliers- Another optician tool that you may use from time to time are the axis rotating pliers. This tool would be used to adjust the axis of the lens if needed.
Ultra Sonic Cleaner- You would use an ultra sonic cleaner if a patient or guest brings in a pair of glasses that needed to be cleaned. Most important thing to do when cleaning glasses with an ultra sonic cleaner is removing the lenses. You can clean plastic and metal frames in this machine, biggest thing to remember is removing the lenses.
Frame Warmer- This is an optician tool that you may use most often with metal or plastic frames. You will use this tool most commonly for the adjustment of frame temples and the frame bridge.