Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians

Employers

Approximately 18,900 ophthalmic laboratory technicians are employed in the United States. They work in optical retail stores, offices of ophthalmologists and optometrists, medical equipment and supplies manufacturing companies, and ophthalmic laboratories.

Starting Out

Some ophthalmic laboratory technicians enroll in a formal training program to gain marketable technical skills and to develop contacts for job location assistance. Others opt for on-the-job training. High school graduates can apply for such training directly at the personnel offices of ophthalmic laboratories or retail outlets known to hire technicians. State and private employment agencies and classified ads in newspapers and online can be good sources for job leads.