Production
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians
Also called: Edger Technician, Finishing Lab Technician, Lab Technician (Laboratory Technician), Lens Grinder and Polisher
US median pay
$39,460
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+2.2%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
2,200
18,600 employed
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Preparation 2/5 · Some preparation
What this job is
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 they do day to day
- 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.
- Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
- Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Operation and Control3.2/5
- Time Management3.1/5
- Quality Control Analysis3.1/5
- Operations Monitoring3.1/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0/5
- Service Orientation2.8/5
- Social Perceptiveness2.6/5
- Repairing2.6/5
Knowledge
- Production and Processing3.9/5
- Mechanical3.4/5
- Mathematics3.3/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.1/5
- Administration and Management3.0/5
- English Language3.0/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 2 of 5 — Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma; some previous work experience or training helps.
Typical entry education (BLS): High school diploma or equivalent.
Highest education of people in this job:
- High school diploma56%
- Some college15%
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.