Lander says educating her patients is a key part
of her focus as an optician, giving clients a va-
riety of options while trying to avoid sales pres-
sure. She says only through consulting can an
individual make an educated decision by them-
selves, which is why she believes opticianry will
maintain its place in the market despite online
competition.
On the fashion side of eyewear, it's all about
the joy of finding the right look for the customer
while keeping in mind what's on-trend,
she says.
“At the end of the day, you could have made
someone's day, or year, or two years depending
on how long they'll be wearing the style glasses
I help them select,” says Lander. “But through
styling, that's when relationships are built. It's
not as intense of a relationship as it is with a
patient, so that's when it becomes more fun.”
The technical and hands-on side of the business
interests her, as it differs when it comes to work-
ing in labs and edging. That's another part she
enjoys about working for The Eyeglass Factory.
Lander says she enjoys her job because she gets
to see her customers follow the process from se-
lecting a frame, to the lens being edged and fit-
ted, and helps them along the way. That way the
client is part of the process, beyond just being-
handed a finished pair of glasses.
"For me it's just like art, because you're not
just thinking about frames or the prescription,
you're actually applying all the knowledge and
the lenses and the whole concept, from fashion,
to a medical device.” She says being honest, ex-
plaining and sharing options for customers is
important to her and it's never about the sale.
“A lot of times I say, I don't want you to buy from
me today because it's a serious decision and I want
you to choose something you'll be completely
happy with before you buy and making sure
they're not feeling pressured.”
36 OPTICAL PRISM | March 2018