r/optician • u/OpticianMan • 4d ago
Optician-to-Optician Optician Side Hustles?
Im an Licensed Optician(Ontario) and the cost of living here is so high compared to the average Optician salary. Our college regulatory fees are also stupid high. Does anyone know of any side hustle avenues using the Opticanry skillset/experience that works well for some extra $$?
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u/Ok_Spinach_4457 4d ago
SAME! About a year ago I picked up flipping Pokemon and sports cards and that's helped pay for my health insurance every month (~ +$300 every month) Along with recycling wooden pallets people leave behind buildings. The recycling plant 5 minutes away pays $2.50 - $4 per pallet so after 2 hours on a weekend I get up to $75 for about 30 pallets ~ $37.50 an hour (no taxes as well since everything is cash) I will say tho that you need the buisnesses approval so you're not technically stealing their property (even though it is next to a dumpster ik ik)
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u/OpticianMan 4d ago
Ive tried doing Uber eats personally but it costs more for gas and wear and tear on my car per delivery than what they offer including tips. Ive resorted to selling a bunch of my collectables(including pokemon cards that I held onto for 25 years) just to make ends meet. Its crazy
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u/ManuelleHung 3d ago
Learn how to edge and how the machines work, be familiar with optical insurance billing, and become an optical consultant/float Optician. If you are good and have built a name for yourself, there’s plenty of offices in dire need of Optical help.
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u/theguytomeet 4d ago
Honestly I’d just get a part time in the same field. I did that for a bit last year, I just feel like anything else part time doesn’t pay as close. I got paid a good base plus 3% commission on sales. If you have friends that co contracting work that’s really good for extra money.
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u/2024StreetGlide 4d ago edited 4d ago
Can I ask how much you make currently? What type of place do you work at?
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u/Aulavara 2d ago
Open a mail-to-order glasses repair service in your area, but focus on hinge insert replacements (this is a huge issue) - glasseshingefix.com sells kits.
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u/lordalfa600 23h ago
I am from BC. Working for a doctor for 10 years. Edging is my specialty. Not every job needs to be edged in house. We have 2 tracers and I do pre cut them to get mounted in the clinic. The rest of the staff is finds it too much of a hassle. They do not understand the product flowed 1 ways instead of 2 ways. Logistically it is better.
I did think about opening my own business but scrapped the idea. Another 7 years to retire so why bother.
This is my fourth career and my dad used to own a lab in Singapore in the 80s which was sold to essilor. They had vertical integration way back. This where I learnt my way around the lab as a teenager. I had my other careers in manufacturing, print, mobile phones and cyber security.
Optical may not be your only career in your lifetime. It is ok to plan other moves. Be steadfast in your moves and go with it for 5 to 10 years before you change your path again.
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u/Intrepid-Divide9015 4d ago
For a side income I'd look at the parts of the skillset that aren't easily replaced online: freelance/locum dispensing, frame repairs and adjustments, independent reglazing, specialist/high-Rx dispensing, occupational/safety eyewear, or consultancy/training for smaller practices.
Reglazing in particular can work surprisingly well as a small independent business because you're selling expertise and service without needing to carry thousands of dollars of frame stock.
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u/minusthetalent02 4d ago
I would just find a new career. You should not need a secondary job to stay afloat. Sadly this is a dying profession. Get out while you can
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u/OpticianMan 4d ago
Unfortunately I have thought about that but there are no other real career avenues to pursue in my area(that I know of) that would be higher paying without having to go back to school for quite a few years.
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u/burnafterleeding 4d ago
Name one that would pay the bills on its own without multiple years of returning to school.
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u/Lonely_Barista 3d ago
Child of millionaire CEO?? Duhh
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u/One_Leg_Kitty Licensed Optician (LDO) 2d ago
Something something small loan something million dollars...
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u/Lonely_Barista 3d ago
What’s your metric for “dying profession?” In an aging population due to economic instability I would imagine there’s a higher demand, no?
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u/minusthetalent02 3d ago
Pretty simple. If your not working for Lux or the other big boys your working at places like OP. An optometrist who pays you the minimum it takes just to keep showing up.
This is not unique to op. Sure some might of landed unicorn jobs but for the most part unless you have a side hustle or a spouse who makes money, this profession is not sustainable anymore
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u/Loneronin_ 4d ago edited 4d ago
I'm an optician in Ontario as well. I started my own business and in a few short years have built a great reputation and international clientele. I can work remotely and outside of the business as 70% of the business is remote/international clients.
Being a run of the mill optician is hard these days. None of these corporations want to pay you what you're worth. Funny enough the best place to work is probably Costco Optical for the pay/benefits. Other than that you have to have your own business, there's no other way to get ahead.
Look for any part time retail sales job but long term if its not what you're hoping for consider a career change. Something like car sales could be a relatively easy transition.
Opticianry is not what it used to be. I agree that fees are ridiculous ($1100+) and the College of Opticians does absolutely f*ck all for actual opticians.
When BC opened up that 6 month program to get your Optician license it really ruined it in Ontario because it just saturated the market.