An optician is an eye care professional who provides lenses for the correction of vision defects. The lenses may be contact lenses or eyeglasses.

An optician, through testing, may be certified by the American Board of Opticianry to fill the prescription ordered by an ophthalmologist or optometrist. Many eye doctors do their own dispensing, and it is frequent for eye clinics to have an optician on their premises; or, conversely, for large optical chains to have optometrists in offices on their premises.

Optical Shops provide a wide variety of prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses, as well as many types of contact lenses and eyewear accessories.