Optical Laboratory Technicians

Duties and Responsibilities: Optical Laboratory Technicians grind and fit eye glass lenses into frames according to prescriptions written by ophthalmologists or optometrists . Technicians set lens grinding machines so that lens blanks are ground and polished. They then fit the lenses into eyeglass frames and depending upon where they work, fit the frames for the patients. Some ophthalmic technicians work in optical laboratories or for optometrists or ophthalmologists. Many work in retail stores that have optical departments.\

Average Salary: $15,000 – $20,000.

Educational Requirements: A high school diploma or GED is needed to begin optical laboratory programs. Training lasts between six months and one year and are provided by vocational schools are community colleges. Some retail store optical department stores provide on the job training.