Other Production Occupations

How to become an Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician

Official title: Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians

Also called: Edger Technician, Finishing Lab Technician, Lab Technician (Laboratory Technician), Lens Grinder and Polisher, Line Operator, Optical Lab Technician (Optical Laboratory Technician), Optical Technician, Polisher, Surfacing Technician

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.

Main tasks

Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.

How to become one

To enter the occupation, dental or ophthalmic laboratory technicians or medical appliance technicians typically need at least a high school diploma or equivalent. They typically receive on-the-job training to attain competency.

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Lay-Out Technician.
Apprenticeship: Optical Instrument Assembly.
Apprenticeship: Optician (Op Gds; Ret Tr) (Alternate Title: Optical Laboratory Specialist ).

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $39,460 a year The middle half earn $36,470 to $47,010.
About 18,600 people work in this job now, and about 19,000 are projected by 2035. (+2.2%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become an Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician?

How much does an Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $39,460 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $36,470 to $47,010.

Is an Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 2% by 2035, from about 18,600 to about 19,000 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become an Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician?

Usually not. Only 20% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Lay-Out Technician.

Will AI change the work of an Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.