Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians
Cut, grind, and polish eyeglasses, contact lenses, or other precision optical elements. Assemble and mount lenses into frames or process other optical elements. Includes precision lens polishers or grinders, centerer-edgers, and lens mounters.
- Median pay
- $39,460
- Doing it now
- 18,600
- By 2035
- Up 2.2%
- Usually needs
- High school diploma or equivalent
a year
across the country
2,200 openings a year
to get in
What the work involves
- Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
- Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
- Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
- Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
- Assemble eyeglass frames and attach shields, nose pads, and temple pieces, using pliers, screwdrivers, and drills.
- Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
- Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
What to study
The fields of study the Department of Education links to this occupation, most widely taught first.
- Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied ProfessionsSee 335 colleges that teach it
Who it suits
O*NET scores every occupation on six interest dimensions. This one leans hardest on these three.
Hands-on and practical
Organised and precise
Analytical and curious
Careers like this one
- Medical Equipment Preparers$47,700
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$49,590
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$61,010
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics$64,520
- Electricians$63,190
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,330
Where this comes from: the description and the task list are O*NET, which the Department of Labor maintains. Pay, workforce size, outlook and the education normally needed are the Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections programme, 2025 wages and 2025 to 2035 projections. Half of them earn more than $39,460 a year, which means half earn less, and what you would earn depends on where you work and how long you have been doing it. The fields of study come from the National Center for Education Statistics crosswalk.