How To Become An Optical Technician: What It Is and Career Path

What is an optical technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Optical technicians work in laboratories to produce prescription lenses for eyeglasses and contact lenses. They are also known as ophthalmic lab technicians. They produce optical instruments lenses, such as binoculars and telescopes. The optical technician uses a lensmeter to inspect completed lenses and then uses a protective coating to fit eyeglass frames, cameras, or telescopes before shaping the lenses. Optical technicians are also repairing damaged eyeglasses.

The production of lenses requires the use of machines that perform tasks such as cutting, grinding, cutting, and finishing. While many technicians are still grinding and edge lenses by hand, they are expected to know how to operate each machine. Optical technicians work with computer-based generators, automatic edgers, lens measurement instruments, and small hand tools.

A high school diploma or GED is the basic level of education required for a career as an optical technician. Many optical technicians gain knowledge and skills through on-the-job training. However, vocational, technical, and community colleges offer certificates or associate degree programs to become optical technicians.

ScoreOptical TechnicianUS Average

Salary

2.9

Avg. Salary $36,908

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

6.4

Growth Rate 4%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

8.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.35%

Asian 9.14%

Black or African American 5.49%

Hispanic or Latino 18.92%

Unknown 3.83%

White 62.27%

Gender

female 63.16%

male 36.84%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress Level

6.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

7.7

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

7.4

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an optical technician

Explore optical technician education requirements

Most common optical technician degrees

Associate

31.6 %

Bachelor's

26.6 %

High School Diploma

24.8 %

Start to develop specific optical technician skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	86.26%
Chrome	8.81%
Dexterity	0.56%
CNC	0.40%
Math	0.34%

Complete relevant optical technician training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 2-4 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New optical technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an optical technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real optical technician resumes.

Gain additional optical technician certifications

Optical technician certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific optical technician certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for optical technicians include Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) and Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT).

More About Certifications

Research optical technician duties and responsibilities

Manage high-end optical for private optometry office.
Manage payroll to correspond with allot labor allowance.
Maintain coating quality using adhesion testing and spectrophotometers, and manage coating hues and reflectance adjustments.
Develop and dispense RX eyewear.

Prepare your optical technician resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your optical technician resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an optical technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Optical Technician Resume templates

Build a professional Optical Technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Optical Technician resume.

Apply for optical technician jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an optical technician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do optical technicians rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Optical Technician reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on May 2023

Pros

Patient interaction

A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2019

Cons

You will find some people that are not easy to please when it comes to glasses and make you job harder than it has to be.