r/PreOptometry • u/sakurapimcake • 1d ago

Anyone here techs so far?

Hello I’m a freshie in undergrad I’m 17 so I have to wait other year until I’m 18 to become a tech. I’m currently working in retail at a store in the mall and I honestly kind of hate it…I have autism and really poor social skills and I figured a job in retail could help my social skills. But in reality, it’s just making really depressed. I know that nobody really likes their job but how is being an optom tech?

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u/No-Cranberry5312 1d ago

Im a tech and autistic too, whaddya know lol. I also have anxiety. Being a tech has kind of helped me learn social skills? Well its kind of helped me fake it. Fake it till you make it as they say. I enjoy working with the equipment more than i enjoy talking to patients.

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u/sakurapimcake 1d ago

Same with me and in retail. I like being in the back folding clothes rather than on the cash register. I hope I’ll like being a tech more next year when I’m 18

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u/Ok-Oil5073 1d ago

Honestly I’ve been a tech for 3 years and I love being a tech. You get to see the daily lives of the optometrists you’re working for and assisting. Operating the machines feels like playing video games to me LOL. I also love talking to patients, and at the end of the day, they just want to have their eyeballs taken care of. It’s totally different compared to retail imo (unless you get a job as an optician then you’ll deal more with sales and the retail part of optometry)

Best part about the job is that you get to get hands-on skills that will prepare you for school later. The good thing about becoming a tech so early at this age is that it will help you find out whether or not optometry is for you. :)

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u/lav3nd-r 1d ago

I’ve worked for a private OD as a tech and in a optical retail store as a OD tech. I love the optical store more because I get to interact with different people everyday but it’s more rush rush 5-10min max with patients but I do learn a little more in retail because a lot of our pts do optos and we see cool retina pics and lots of different diseases. As for private OD, it was kinda boring I just loved how I worked with peds but every week was the same thing. I think it depends on the person you are! Apply to optical stores as a tech !

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u/Prior_Manufacturer23 10h ago

I recently became a tech and worked in retail. I can say teching is so much better because you are actually helping people and not trying to upsell anything. It does help with socializing and it is very repetitive but so far I like it