Optical Dispensers Australia has conducted arguably the most comprehensive survey into the working lives and pay rates of optometry support staff in Australia. Insight reveals the most pertinent findings.
As Ms Carly Toms began scrolling through the findings of a new optical dispensing workplace survey conducted in Australia, it reinforced many of her own experiences after 20-plus years in the industry.
On the one hand, there’s immense pride in the life-changing nature of her work, and the value she’s brought to the businesses she’s worked in. But on the other, there’s a perception that much of this great work hasn’t been adequately recognised and remunerated.
This is all occurring as the demands on dispensers intensify.
“Optical dispensers are the keystone of the practice, and many dispensers are unaware of their value,” says Toms, who has shifted her career from the practice into the classroom as the ANZ training manager for the Australasian College of Optical Dispensing (ACOD).
“Profits garnered from optometry testing do not define the success of the business; this comes down to a good dispensing team. We are the advisors, the educators and the problem solvers. We sell the lenses and necessary treatments to enhance the refraction, we recommend and style frames to match personality, face shape, lifestyle and profession. This is where the business can thrive.”
Few would argue a strong optical dispenser is a pivotal player on the practice team, yet the new Optical Dispensers Australia 2025 National Wage Survey paints a sobering picture about how many of these professionals feel about their careers.
Released in partnership with Insight, some of the topline figures show:
• More than 70% of respondents feel they are not being fairly compensated for their role.
• The most common wage bracket is $25-30 per hour (35%), with two thirds paid less than $35 an hour.
• More than 30% don’t know what award they’re being paid under.
• For those paid according to awards, they are more likely to be paid under the General Retail Industry Award rather than the Health Professionals and Support Services Award (HPSS).
• More than a third of respondents have worked at their current place for less than three years.
• Around 17% work more than 40 hours per week.
The findings have prompted calls for a new pay award specifically dedicated to optometry practice support staff, and questions around how optical dispensers can be recognised for the extra responsibilities shouldered during – and after – work hours. There’s also concerns about how low morale and dissatisfaction may impact the future of optometry practices and society as a whole.
ODA CEO Ms April Petrusma believes the industry has been hungry for a survey like this, which provides a new level of understanding and a baseline for optical dispensing workplace conditions.
ODA collated 451 anonymous responses over a five-week period from qualified optical dispensers (the majority of respondents), unqualified optical assistants, students studying the Cert IV, qualified and unqualified practice managers, locums and other support staff.
“I regularly receive phone calls from both employers and employees seeking clarity around pay rates, awards, and employment contracts,” she says.
“The strong response rate to the survey likely reflects just how widespread these concerns are – people are eager to have their voices heard and to gain insight into how their pay and conditions compare to others. It shows there’s a genuine appetite for transparency and guidance when it comes to navigating employment rights.”
None of the results came as a huge surprise for Petrusma, who has worked as an optical dispenser for the past 12 years across independent practices, corporate settings, and within the training sector.
But some stood out.
“The combination of low pay, high workload, and limited recognition is leading to dissatisfaction and burnout,” she says.
“One of the most striking findings was that over 70% of dispensers feel they are not being fairly compensated for their role. That’s a significant number and speaks volumes about the disconnect between the value of the work and the recognition it receives.”
Mr Jake Hansen, a director of Eyecare Plus practices in Orange and Parkes, echoes this disappointment. Optical dispensers are “absolutely vital” to his business.
“Especially in a country practice like ours, where patients often know us by name, have been coming for years and expect a high level of personalised care that they don’t get anywhere else in town. Our dispensers are just as much the face of the practice as the optometrists are,” he says.
What stood out to him was the large number of dispensers feeling undervalued from a financial and professional perspective.
The fact more than 30% of respondents don’t know what award – if any – they’re being paid under tells him “there’s a real lack of communication and a breakdown of transparency between practice owners and dispensers across the industry”.
Petrusma notes this is one of the contentious industry topics, with some employers paying under the General Retail Industry Award while others work to the HPSS Award.
“This confusion stems from the complex and fragmented nature of an unregulated profession, made worse by the absence of a dedicated award specific to optical dispensers,” she says.
Many of the findings align with Toms’ experience. She’s worked as an optical dispenser in the corporate world for around 14 years, plus for a small boutique in Bondi.
She believes the biggest challenges are two-fold: workload expectations without any standardisation nationally.
“From my personal experience – echoed by years of conversations with optical assistants – I’ve consistently heard stories of staff arriving early for team briefings, missing breaks and meals due to understaffing, and coping with the intense demands of large, busy practices,” she says.
“Many also describe how work-related communication through software applications extends their responsibilities into personal time. These expectations are rarely formalised or openly stated, yet they’ve become the norm and are completed without pay. Optical dispensers are often expected to arrive early, work long days, stay late, and respond to messages after hours.”
She agrees these challenges are exacerbated by the lack of a nationally recognised optical dispensing award, and there are pay disparities across the industry.
“Further to this, opportunities for pay increases are not clearly linked to performance, qualifications, or experience.”
‘Wages don’t reflect specialised nature of work’
Greater transparency on optical dispenser and optometry support staff wages was one of the survey’s main objectives.
ODA’s survey found the most common wage bracket (35% of respondents) was $25-30 per hour ($49,400-$59,280 salary for a 38-hour working week), followed by 31% of participants reporting $30-35 ($59,280-$69,160 salary).
Around 15% were in the $35-40 per hour band ($69,160-$79,040), with smaller proportions paid $45-50 per hour ($88,920-$98,800), and a few as high as $60 per hour ($118,560).
Petrusma says compensation should reflect both the skills and responsibilities required in a role, but in many cases optical dispensers are being undervalued, given their combination of technical skills, clinical knowledge, and patient care.
“While hourly rates between $25-35 may seem reasonable at a glance, they often fall short when you consider the level of expertise and accountability expected of dispensers,” she says.
“This disconnect needs to be addressed if practices want to attract and retain skilled dispensers who contribute so much to their success.”
Hansen says his practice has taken proactive steps to ensure dispensers feel supported and compensated appropriately.
“We use the HPSS award as a guide and reward dispensers financially as they grow in experience. We also have a bonus system in place where dispensers receive a percentage of lens and coating sales at the end of each month,” he explains.
“But it’s not just about throwing money at people so that they feel valued. We also emphasise the importance of dispensers through the day-to-day running of the practice, making them the chief decision-maker in all things lenses and empowering them to make the recommendations to patients informed by their knowledge and training.”
Petrusma says it’s vital employers recognise qualifications, such as the Certificate IV in Optical Dispensing.
Even when an optical assistant obtains this, she says this doesn’t always lead to a meaningful increase in pay, echoing Toms’ experience, with some seeing little or no change to their salary.
“Sadly, it can be undervalued by some employers – often due to a misconception that a certificate-level qualification is somehow less rigorous or important. That simply isn’t true,” Petrusma says.
“A common concern among respondents was the presence of unqualified individuals earning similar wages to those who are formally trained. This not only undermines the value of the qualification but can also discourage
further professional development within the field.”
A systematic change, she says, would ensure qualified optical dispensers are recognised and compensated accordingly. This comes back to the issue of awards, and the lack of a dedicated framework that aligns with the clinical and technical responsibilities of optical dispensing.
This was reflected in the survey results. Many feel being paid under the General Retail Industry Award undervalues the depth of their skills, and that optical dispensing should be recognised as a distinct profession, potentially within the healthcare sector, with its own appropriate award and regulations. Similar to pharmacy technicians.
It’s an idea Hansen, as an employer, sees merit in.
“Based on the survey results it seems abundantly clear that proper pay structures – ideally a dedicated award that reflects the role’s complexity – may go a long way to helping,” he says.
“More importantly, there also needs to be a broader cultural shift where we are acknowledging that good dispensers are not just salespeople, they’re key players in delivering quality eyecare.”
Stronger employment arrangements like this might address another pain point highlighted: the number of optical dispensers carrying heavy workloads.
Almost one in five works more than 40 hours per week, another indication optical dispensing isn’t a typical retail job, Petrusma notes.
The realities of serving patients means staff are often required to stay back to complete administrative tasks, finalise orders, manage complex prescriptions or ensure a patient receives the care they need regardless of the time, she says.
“What’s concerning is that many of these extra hours are unpaid or not fairly recognised in their compensation.”
Turnover impacts everyone
The survey highlighted that more than a third of the survey respondents had worked at their current place for less than three years. Turnover isn’t a new problem for optical dispensing, but it’s one that has changed in recent years.
Hansen has found investing in training is key to reducing staffing churn.
“Being such a busy practice, we can’t afford to have team members feeling stuck or unsupported. Training is an investment – not just in the business, but in people,” he says.
“We have had great success with the ACOD course and financially support our prospective dispensers to do the course and cover costs of travel and accommodation. We also try to make sure our dispensers have access to ongoing education and feel confident in what they do, because when they grow in their role, they’re more engaged and likely to stay.”
This kind of commitment to training and recognition, he says, is what helps maintain a low turnover and fosters pride among his staff.
Without this, Petrusma says the departure of experienced optical dispensers can have significant consequences for both the industry and the patients it serves. It’s something that was acutely felt when staff turnover rates accelerated around COVID-19, with many optical dispensers jumping into different industries.
With better pay, greater flexibility, and the ability to work from home, many did not return.
At the practice level, Petrusma says frequent turnover can have a lasting impact; it disrupts continuity of care, increases the burden on remaining staff, and requires ongoing investment in recruitment and training. It can also affect patient experience and retention, as strong relationships and trust are built over time with consistent staff.
“Practices lose not just technical expertise but also the deep product knowledge, clinical understanding, and patient communication skills that take years to develop,” she says.
“This results in a less experienced workforce, which can impact the quality and consistency of patient care. Practices may see increased errors, longer wait times, or diminished trust.”
Where to from here?
One way practices are improving accuracy and streamlining the patient journey, though, is through embracing technology.
Digital measuring systems, advanced lens simulation tools, and pre-testing equipment are already in daily use, and are expected to become more integrated and sophisticated.
How will optical dispensers – the human element – fit into this new future for the profession?
Rather than replacing dispensers, Petrusma predicts automation is likely to enhance their role, freeing up time for more personalised patient care, complex troubleshooting, and advanced product consultations.
It means optical dispensers must prioritise continuing professional development, upskilling in emerging technologies, and broadening their clinical knowledge.
“Those who invest in their development now will be well-placed to lead in a more technology-driven, patient-focused future, while those who don’t risk being left behind,” she says.
It’s a sentiment Toms agrees with. She wants to see a shift in culture that places education at the centre.
“There are so many career trajectories within the industry and the foundation for these is the Cert IV in Optical Dispensing,” she says.
“By offering current employees the opportunity to complete this training, and by hiring new staff with a clear pathway for career development through immediate enrolment in the Cert IV, we can begin to shift perceptions and enhance the value and recognition of our profession.”
Ultimately, Hansen says employers face a challenging realty: ensuring optical dispensers are compensated for the true value they bring, while ensuring the business operates sustainably.
“It’s a balancing act,” he says.
“We try to focus on building a strong workplace culture, providing opportunities for professional growth, and being flexible where we can. If staff feel valued then they give more, and that benefits everyone in the long run.”
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