Optician Career & Jobs: Training, Salary & Certification Requirements

Many people wear eyeglasses or contact to correct their vision, but hardly anyone ever stops to think about who is responsible for creating the lenses that they need to restore the sight that they depend on every day to go about their lives. Although it may simply seem like one day you visit the eye doctor and pick out some frames and the next you have glasses that correct your vision, there is actually a lot of work that goes into the process. Opticians are trained professionals that are responsible for taking the prescription of an optometrist or ophthalmologist and translating it into a thickness and curvature for corrective lenses. These opticians are trained to grind and polish the highly resistant glass and plastic that most eyeglass lenses are made out of currently, and they are also able to perform repairs when corrective eyewear is damaged.

Salary Outlook

Average Annual Salary
$30,700
Salary Range
$22,700 - $40,100

Work Environment

Because opticians perform such a complicated and specific task, they are usually employed by an eyewear manufacturer, or in the private practice of an optometrist. Some also work for retail stores that offer eye care services, and they are often called upon to work evenings, weekends, or holidays if patients have an eye related emergency.

High School Preparation

Individuals who think that they might enjoy the responsibilities of an optician are encouraged to spend their high school careers becoming more familiar with biology, anatomy, and the operations of a health care related business. Supporting course work includes physics, health mechanical drawing, geometry, and computer skills.

Requirements

After receiving their high school diploma, aspiring opticians are required to enroll in a training program at an accredited medical vocational school or community college. Many of these optician’s courses last for about two years, and the best options will include hands on experience and placement in an internship or externship before graduation. It is also possible for individuals to be hired for optician positions without prior training, as some employers will agree to train them on the job. Following graduation or the training period, it is encouraged for all aspiring opticians to complete the certification process offered by the American Board of Opticianry and the National Contact Lens Examiners.  

Career Outlook

Many experts predict that the demand for qualified opticians will increase by at least ten to twenty percent over the next few years. This demand is attributed to the fact that the increasing elderly population will need to have access to efficient, affordable eye glasses and contacts to improve their failing vision.

Professional Organizations

American Board of Opticianry
6506 Loisdale Rd.
Suite 209
Springfield, VA 22150
Phone: (703) 719-5800
www.abo.org