How to become a dispensing optician

Official title: Dispensing opticians

Also called: Contact lens optician, Dispensing optician

Dispensing opticians design, fit and dispense optical lenses based on a prescription from an ophthalmologist or optometrist for the correction of reduced visual acuity. They service corrective eyeglasses, contact lenses, low-vision aids and other optical devices.

Main tasks

• Examining and taking facial and eye measurements of clients for fitting of eyeglasses and other optical devices
• Providing advice to clients on selection and maintenance of eyeglasses and frames, types of contact lenses and other optical devices for performance, safety, comfort and lifestyle
• Interpreting optical prescriptions and preparing work orders for optical laboratories for grinding and mounting of lenses in frames, preparation of contact lenses and other required work
• Verifying exactness of finished optical appliances and devices to the original prescription and fit of clients

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: HK$27,000 a month
• About 1,542,900 people in 2025, and about 1,639,100 projected by 2028. (+6.2%)
• Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

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Questions people ask

Do you need a degree to become a dispensing optician?

Not always. 35% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a dispensing optician?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

• Census and Statistics Department (2021 Population Census): 2021 Population Census, Interactive Data Dissemination Service: working population by occupation (38 groups) and sex, age, education, income; median income and field of education (9 groups) (2021 Population Census), retrieved 4 October 2026
• Census and Statistics Department (General Household Survey): Median monthly employment earnings by occupation (9 groups), excluding foreign domestic helpers (Table 210-06317A); employed persons by occupation, age and sex (210-06307A) and by industry (210-06308A) (2025 annual (series to 2026-07)), retrieved 4 October 2026
• Labour and Welfare Bureau; tables published by C&SD: Mid-term Update of Manpower Projection to 2028: supplementary statistical tables (5 occupation groups, 17 selected industries) (2025 to 2028 (published 2026-09)), retrieved 4 October 2026
• International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026

Updated 4 October 2026