SOC 51-9083.00

    Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians

    Cut, grind, and polish eyeglasses, contact lenses, or other precision optical elements.

    Median pay
    $39,460
    Growth
    +2.2%
    As fast as average
    Openings a year
    2,200
    Typical education
    High school diploma

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $33,530
    Median
    $39,460
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $57,380
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    18,660 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Ophthalmic laboratory technicians cut, grind, polish, and assemble eyeglasses, contact lenses, and other optical elements. This career employs 18,660 people and offers a median annual pay of $39,460.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What ophthalmic laboratory technicians do

    Job Zone 2: Some preparation

    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.

    Usually a high school diploma; some on-the-job training or experience.

    What the work is like

    People in this career spend their days handling and moving objects to create precise optical products. They control machines and processes to cut, grind, and polish lenses, and then assemble and mount these lenses into frames. To do this work successfully, technicians must monitor processes and materials while using computers to update their technical knowledge.

    This role is highly suited to individuals with realistic interests who enjoy practical, hands-on tasks. Success in the lab requires strong skills in operation and control, operations monitoring, and quality control analysis. Technicians must also use critical thinking and time management to keep production on schedule. Key knowledge areas include production and processing, mechanical systems, mathematics, and computers. Because precision is vital when making corrective lenses, workers must demonstrate work styles such as high attention to detail, dependability, cautiousness, and perseverance.

    How to get there

    Entering this field typically requires a high school diploma. Most workers need some on-the-job training or prior experience to become proficient in the lab. For those looking to study in college, related majors include clinical/medical laboratory science/research and allied professions.

    While not always required, obtaining professional credentials can help technicians demonstrate their skills. Relevant certifications available in this field include the Certified Eye Bank Technician credential from the Eye Bank Association of America, as well as the Technician in Precision Optics certification offered by ETA International.

    Pay and outlook explained

    The median annual pay for ophthalmic laboratory technicians is $39,460. The lowest 10% of earners in this field make less than $33,530, while the highest 10% earn more than $57,380.

    Employment in this occupation is projected to grow by 2.2% from 2025 to 2035, which is as fast as the average for all careers. This growth, combined with normal turnover, is expected to result in about 2,200 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    90 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    31 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    12 / 100
    Social (S)
    15 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    6 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    52 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code RCI. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Getting Information
    68
    Handling and Moving Objects
    60
    Controlling Machines and Processes
    60
    Working with Computers
    59
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    57
    Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    57
    Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    56
    Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
    55
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    55
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    54
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Operation and Control
    • Operations Monitoring
    • Quality Control Analysis
    • Time Management
    • Critical Thinking
    • Judgment and Decision Making
    • Monitoring
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Active Listening
    • Speaking

    Knowledge

    • Production and Processing
    • Mechanical
    • Mathematics
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Administration and Management
    • English Language
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Education and Training
    • Engineering and Technology
    • Administrative

    Abilities

    • Near Vision
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    • Finger Dexterity
    • Control Precision
    • Manual Dexterity
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Information Ordering
    • Selective Attention
    • Visualization

    Work styles

    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Cautiousness
    • Perseverance
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Integrity
    • Cooperation
    • Self-Control
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Self-Confidence

    Also called

    Artificial Glass Eye Maker · Artificial Plastic Eye Maker · Bench Hand · Benchroom Shop Optician · Bevel Polisher · Beveler · Contact Lens Blocker · Contact Lens Blocker and Cutter · Contact Lens Cutter · Contact Lens Lathe Operator

    Career pathway

    From your interests to ophthalmic laboratory technicians

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians$39,460 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1Loma Linda University logo
      Loma Linda University

      Loma Linda, CA · Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $112,525
      4 yrs after
      $125,835
      Median debt
      $20,000
    2. 2CUNY York College logo
      CUNY York College

      Jamaica, NY · Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $118,710
      4 yrs after
      $122,313
      Median debt
      Not reported
    3. 3Stony Brook University SUNY logo
      Stony Brook University SUNY

      Stony Brook, NY · Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $115,173
      4 yrs after
      $110,827
      Median debt
      $19,000
    4. 4Mercy College-New York logo
      Mercy College-New York

      Dobbs Ferry, NY · Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $116,152
      4 yrs after
      $110,519
      Median debt
      $25,000
    5. 5California State University-Dominguez Hills logo
      California State University-Dominguez Hills

      Carson, CA · Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $46,385
      4 yrs after
      $109,642
      Median debt
      $21,625
    6. 6
      CUNY Hunter College

      New York, NY · Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $96,335
      4 yrs after
      $104,791
      Median debt
      Not reported
    7. 7
      Farmingdale State College

      Farmingdale, NY · Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $107,484
      4 yrs after
      $104,169
      Median debt
      Not reported
    8. 8Marist College logo
      Marist College

      Poughkeepsie, NY · Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $108,720
      4 yrs after
      $101,370
      Median debt
      Not reported

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What ophthalmic laboratory technicians may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 6, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about ophthalmic laboratory technicians

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some alternative job titles for this career?

    Workers in this field are also known as bench hands, bevelers, contact lens cutters, or contact lens lathe operators. Some specialized roles include artificial glass eye makers and artificial plastic eye makers.

    What are the primary skills needed for this job?

    Technicians rely heavily on operation and control, operations monitoring, and quality control analysis to run lens-making equipment. They also need strong critical thinking, judgment, and reading comprehension skills to interpret work orders correctly.

    How many people work as ophthalmic laboratory technicians?

    There are currently 18,660 people employed in this occupation. The field expects to see 2,200 openings arise each year.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    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. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 6, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.