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Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians: Career Profile
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.
What Tasks Do Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Do?
The core tasks performed by ophthalmic laboratory technicians cover:
- 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.
What Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Need to Know
Effective ophthalmic laboratory technicians draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Artificial Glass Eye Maker
- Artificial Plastic Eye Maker
- Bench Hand
- Benchroom Shop Optician
- Bevel Polisher
- Beveler
- Contact Lens Blocker
- Contact Lens Blocker and Cutter
Job Outlook
There are about 764,007 ophthalmic laboratory technicians working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to decline by -3.7% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $37,805 |
| Hourly median | $18.18 |
| 10th percentile | $20,867 |
| 25th percentile | $29,336 |
| 75th percentile | $46,274 |
| 90th percentile | $54,743 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Connecticut | $60,700 |
| Idaho | $50,880 |
| California | $49,430 |
| Washington | $47,860 |
| Michigan | $47,280 |
| Colorado | $46,320 |
| Maryland | $45,620 |
| Oregon | $45,580 |
| New Hampshire | $44,450 |
| Wisconsin | $44,370 |
| Georgia | $44,000 |
| Arizona | $43,090 |
| Massachusetts | $42,770 |
| Ohio | $42,760 |
| Nebraska | $40,670 |
| Minnesota | $40,500 |
| Nevada | $38,690 |
| Montana | $38,690 |
| South Carolina | $38,570 |
| Indiana | $38,280 |
| Arkansas | $38,090 |
| Virginia | $38,080 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,940 |
| Missouri | $37,480 |
| Texas | $37,350 |
| New Mexico | $37,180 |
| Illinois | $37,170 |
| New York | $37,030 |
| Tennessee | $36,610 |
| Florida | $36,450 |
| Louisiana | $36,360 |
| North Carolina | $36,120 |
| Oklahoma | $35,940 |
| Kentucky | $35,500 |
| Alabama | $34,820 |
| Kansas | $34,700 |
| New Jersey | $34,680 |
| Iowa | $33,770 |
| Mississippi | $28,930 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,630 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Pay for ophthalmic laboratory technicians differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $54,008 | 1.8% | 1.25 |
| Far Western US | $47,561 | 11.7% | 0.79 |
| Rocky Mountains | $45,765 | 2.5% | 0.93 |
| Great Lakes | $40,837 | 8.9% | 0.72 |
| Plains States | $39,002 | 8.1% | 2.22 |
| Middle Atlantic | $38,504 | 11.5% | 1.07 |
| Southeast | $37,846 | 27.6% | 1.35 |
| Southwest | $37,627 | 21.8% | 2.00 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $64,750 | 160 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $55,990 | 720 |
| Boise City, ID | ID | $50,880 | 50 |
| Madison, WI | WI | $49,660 | 50 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $49,180 | 220 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | RI | $48,340 | |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | MI | $47,280 | 180 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | OR | $47,280 | 30 |
Top Industries Employing Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians
The bulk of ophthalmic laboratory technicians are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 7,780 | $40,800 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 4,750 | $38,370 |
| Retail Trade | 3,940 | $35,970 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1,800 | $37,770 |
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians work in the following industries:
Software Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Use
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of ophthalmic laboratory technicians tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Time Pressure
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
Education and Training
Typical ophthalmic laboratory technicians positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Photonics Technicians (Supplemental)
- Opticians, Dispensing (Supplemental)
- Camera and Photographic Equipment Repairers (Primary-Short)
- Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers (Supplemental)
- Electrical and Electronic Equipment Assemblers (Supplemental)
- Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters (Primary-Short)
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Short)
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Long)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Students preparing for ophthalmic laboratory technicians commonly pursue programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 51-9083.00 (Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians).
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