NASHVILLE, Tenn.—A group of 27 opticianry leaders representing 11 different organizations gathered here for a recent Opticians Collaboration Summit to discuss how to advance the profession of opticianry. The idea resulted from an initiative developed at the 2012 Opticianry Summit. The participants conducted one-on-one interviews to collect data on past successes, future possibilities and efforts that could work for all opticians. The attendees then separated into small groups to analyze the information and determine how to best align the organizations for future collaboration.
 
Participants agreed on the following five priorities: a prerequisite for ABO/NCLE certification exams, that contact lens fitters should identify themselves as opticians, the mobility of opticians from state to state, access to formal opticianry education throughout the country, and continued communication between all opticianry organizations.
 
Bob Reynolds, second vice president of the Opticians Association of America, added, “The five initiatives that were identified by the forum represent a way for opticianry to unite and focus on some positive changes that would not only help the profession but also help protect the consumer. Opticians are so important to the well-being of millions of Americans, and it is about time that the fragmentation of the profession was put to the side and we were able to focus on what we believe will help to reshape the profession moving forward.”
 
The 11 participating organizations were the American Board of Opticianry, Coalition of Opticianry Accreditation, Contact Lens Society of America, National Academy of Opticianry, National Association of Optometrists and Opticians, National Commission of State Opticianry Regulatory Boards, National Contact Lens Examiners, National Federation of Opticianry Schools, Opticians Association of America, Opticianry Summit Foundation, and the Society to Advance Opticianry.
 
Optician Tom Barracato, spokesperson for the forum, said, “Opticianry has been divided for many years, and the forum was an opportunity to get everyone in the same room to discover the things we have in common rather than focusing on the differences each organization may have.”