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Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians

Typical education: High school diplomaLower pressure

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $39,460 Median per year · $18.97/hr Most earn $33,530–$57,380

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.
  • Set dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually.
  • Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
  • Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.
  • Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.
  • Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.

Job outlook

United States
2% more jobs by 2035, slower than average · about 2,200 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Medical equipment and supplies manufacturing33.3%
  • Offices of optometrists13.9%
  • Offices of physicians9.6%
  • Professional and commercial equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers7.9%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

This is an entry-level job. Most people need a high school diploma and then about 6 months to 1 year of hands-on experience, often learned on the job, before they work on their own.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Build a strong base in math, science, and hands-on shop or technical classes, which help with measuring and working with small precise parts.

  2. Hand Grinding and Polishing Worker

    3-6 months

    Start with simpler finishing work on lenses or small parts, learning to handle precise tools and follow careful measurements before moving to lab equipment.

  3. Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician

    6 months to 1 year of total related experience

    Learn to cut, grind, polish, and mount lenses into frames, using lab machines and checking each pair against prescription specs.

Where it can lead

  1. Lead Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician

    1-3 years of experience first

    You become the go-to person for tricky jobs and training newer technicians, which takes strong accuracy, patience, and a record of quality work.

  2. Optical Laboratory Supervisor

    3-5 years of experience first

    You plan the lab's daily work, track quality and deadlines, and oversee a team, so you need solid lab skills plus good communication and organization.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math and physicsMeasurement, geometry, and basic physics of light and lenses are useful for understanding how eyeglass lenses are shaped and fitted.
  • Join a shop, robotics, or engineering clubHands-on building teaches you to use small tools carefully and to check your work for precision.
  • Take a drafting or technical drawing class if offeredReading technical drawings and specs is a daily skill in precision optical work.
  • Get a starter job or volunteer at a store or clinicAny job where you follow detailed steps and take pride in accuracy builds the habits lab work needs.
  • Learn about eye careTalk with an optician or read about how eyeglasses are made so you understand the purpose of the work.

In college

  • Take math, physics, and optics coursesCourses on light, lenses, and measurement give you a foundation that makes lab training faster and helps you understand prescriptions.
  • Look for a campus job in a lab or makerspaceWorking with precision equipment in a lab or makerspace builds the careful, hands-on skills that employers in optical labs look for.
  • Seek an internship or part-time job at an optical lab or eye care officeReal lab experience is the best way to learn the work and to show employers you are ready for the job.
  • Consider a short certificate in opticianry or lab work if your school offers oneA certificate can show employers that you have formal training in lens work and eyewear fitting.
  • Join a related student club, such as a science or engineering clubClubs give you teamwork practice and connections in technical fields, which can lead to job tips and references.

Tips for getting started

  • Look for part-time or summer work at an optical shop or eye care lab, even sweeping or helping with frames, to see the work up close and get comfortable in a lab setting.
  • Get good at reading measurements and following written instructions carefully, because small errors in lens work matter a lot.
  • Ask an optician or lab technician if you can shadow them or ask questions about their day. Their advice can show you whether this work fits you.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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