Optician
Quick Facts
Median Salary$47,645
Most Common EducationHigh school or GED
Projected 10-Year Growth+24.85%
Assessment MatchTake the Assessment
What They Do
An Optician fits eyeglasses and contact lenses according to prescriptions written by optometrists and ophthalmologists. Helps customers choose eyeglass frames and contact lenses, and repairs or refits broken frames. Works in the office of an optometrist or physician, or in a store that sells eyeglasses.
Core Tasks:
- Measure clients' bridge and eye size, temple length, vertex distance, pupillary distance, and optical centers of eyes, using measuring devices.
- Verify that finished lenses are ground to specifications.
- Assist clients in selecting frames according to style and color, and ensure that frames are coordinated with facial and eye measurements and optical prescriptions.
- Recommend specific lenses, lens coatings, and frames to suit client needs.
- Evaluate prescriptions in conjunction with clients' vocational and avocational visual requirements.
- Maintain records of customer prescriptions, work orders, and payments.
- Heat, shape, or bend plastic or metal frames to adjust eyeglasses to fit clients, using pliers and hands.
- Show customers how to insert, remove, and care for their contact lenses.
- Prepare work orders and instructions for grinding lenses and fabricating eyeglasses.
- Determine clients' current lens prescriptions, when necessary, using lensometers or lens analyzers and clients' eyeglasses.
- Sell goods such as contact lenses, spectacles, sunglasses, and goods related to eyes, in general.
- Obtain a customer's previous record, or verify a prescription with the examining optometrist or ophthalmologist.
- Fabricate lenses to meet prescription specifications.
- Perform administrative duties, such as tracking inventory and sales, submitting patient insurance information, and performing simple bookkeeping.
- Assemble eyeglasses by cutting and edging lenses, and fitting the lenses into frames.
- Instruct clients in how to wear and care for eyeglasses.
- Supervise the training of student opticians.
- Order and purchase frames and lenses.
- Grind lens edges, or apply coatings to lenses.
- Repair damaged frames.
- Arrange and maintain displays of optical merchandise.
What to expect as an Optician
1Earn a High school or GED Diploma
50% of people achieve this level of education.
2Gain skills and experience
See Optician related courses on Tallo
3Land a job
3267 openings for Opticians
Career Progression
in United States (Nation)
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