Review of a Spectacle Technician
Training Course in Vietnam
Jodi Martin
Introduction
• Brien Holden Vision Institute program to
address uncorrected refractive error in
Vietnam
• 8 spectacle technician courses conducted
since 2009
• 67 participants
• Course assessed against trainee
performance and satisfaction
Results
• Trainee performance:
• 97% passed the course,
• The average theory mark was 80%
• There was no significant difference by
gender, rural/urban workplace or previous
experience in eyecare
Results
•Self-rated trainee confidence rose across
all skills
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
Pre course Almost
Always and Always
Confident
50%
40%
30%
Post course Almost
Always and Always
Confident
20%
10%
0%
Edging and Edging and Focimetry Focimetery Measuring Repairing
fitting SV fitting BF
of SV
of BF
PD and
frames
lenses
lenses
lenses
lenses
Heights
Aligning
frames
Knowledge
of optics
and the eye
Results
• Trainee feedback:
• 96% rated the course excellent or very good
• 62% were satisfied with the course length,
while 38% rated course length as too short
• Nurses and technicians most likely to still
be using spectacle technician skills 6-12
months post-course
Discussion and Conclusion
• The course was successful in producing
competent spectacle technicians
• High course satisfaction and confidence
• Appropriate trainee selection is essential to
continued use of spectacle technician skills
• Further examination of barriers and
facilitators to using skills in the workplace in
required