First in a series of statistical reports on personnel providing vision and eye care assistance, the report presents data collected by the Bureau of Census (geographic location, age, sex, education, type and place of employment, training, specialties, activities, and time spent at work) concerning opticians actively engaged in their profession during February and June 1969. Opticians engaged in the manufacture or production of optical equipment are not included in the report. Males outnumber females in the profession by a ratio of approximately 8:1 among active opticians; however female representation is increasing, particulary among the younger opticians. Median age was 45 years for males and 39 years for females; median length of time in the occupation was 23 years for males and 9 years for females. Education and training of opticians corresponds to increased education of the general population. Opticians are unequally distributed geographically with more than one-half employed in the Middle Atlantic, East North Central, and South Atlantic States; the ratio of opticians to the population is also unequally distributed. While retail optical establishments employed the majority of opticians, 3 of every 10 were self-employed. Appendixes include supplementary survey information. (EA)