Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians

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.

On the job, you would:

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.

Important Qualities

Detail oriented. Dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians must follow work orders and prescriptions precisely. They also need to be able to recognize and correct any imperfections in their work.

Dexterity. Dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians must work well with their hands to use precision instruments.

Interpersonal skills. Dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians must be able to work effectively with others. They may be part of a team of technicians working on a single project.

Problem-solving skills. Dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians may encounter challenges when constructing or repairing medical devices. They need to be resourceful in finding solutions.

Technical skills. Dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians need to understand how different tools and materials work. They also must know how to operate automated machinery and may need proficiency in design software.

Personality

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Characteristics of this Career
		92%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
		84%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
		81%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
		73%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
		72%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
		71%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
		70%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
		70%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
		69%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
		69%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
		67%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
		59%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
		57%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
		55%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
		54%	Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
		53%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Strengths
		100%	Realistic - Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Values of the Work Environment
		56%	Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Aptitude

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Abilities \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		69%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
		66%	Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
		66%	Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
		63%	Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
		63%	Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
		60%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
		56%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
		53%	Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
		53%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
		53%	Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

Job Details

Responsibilities

Repair medical or dental assistive devices.

Align parts or workpieces to ensure proper assembly.

Mount materials or workpieces onto production equipment.

Shape glass or similar materials.

Construct customized assistive medical or dental devices.

Inspect finished products to locate flaws.

Clean workpieces or finished products.

Select production equipment according to product specifications.

Read work orders or other instructions to determine product specifications or materials requirements.

Polish materials, workpieces, or finished products.

Operate grinding equipment.

Shape glass or similar materials.

Solder parts or workpieces.

Repair medical or dental assistive devices.

Mount attachments or tools onto production equipment.

Set equipment controls to meet cutting specifications.

Weigh finished products.

Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications.

Remove workpieces from molds.

Draw guide lines or markings on materials or workpieces using patterns or other references.

Immerse objects or workpieces in cleaning or coating solutions.

Operate painting or coating equipment.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent
		99%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
		90%	Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls - How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
		90%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
		83%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
		82%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
		80%	Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions - How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
		80%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
		78%	Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job?
		76%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
		75%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
		73%	Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment - How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)
		72%	Spend Time Standing - How much does this job require standing?
		71%	Exposed to Contaminants - How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
		68%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
		64%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
		63%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
		63%	Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
		62%	Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People - How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
		62%	Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable - How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
		60%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
		58%	Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
		56%	Spend Time Walking and Running - How much does this job require walking and running?
		56%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
		55%	Degree of Automation - How automated is the job?

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Tasks & Values
		68%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
		60%	Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
		60%	Controlling Machines and Processes - Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
		59%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
		57%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
		57%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
		56%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
		55%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
		55%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
		54%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
		54%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
		52%	Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
		51%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
		51%	Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

What Dental and Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians and Medical Appliance Technicians Do

Ophthalmic laboratory technicians often use automated equipment to make lenses.

Dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians make or repair dentures, eyeglasses, prosthetics, and related products.

Duties

Dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians typically do the following:

Read and follow detailed work orders and prescriptions
Bend, form, and shape material for appliances or devices
Polish and shape appliances and devices, using handtools or power tools
Adjust appliances or devices to allow for a natural look or to improve function
Inspect the final product for quality and accuracy
Repair damaged appliances and devices

Technicians’ duties vary, depending on their employer. In small offices and retail establishments, technicians may handle every phase of production. In large manufacturing and wholesale facilities, technicians may be responsible for only one phase of production, such as polishing, measuring, or testing.

Dental laboratory technicians use impressions or molds of a patient’s teeth to create crowns, bridges, dentures, and other dental appliances. They work closely with dentists but have limited contact with patients.

Dental laboratory technicians work with small handtools, such as files and polishers, and with many different materials, including wax, alloy, ceramic, plastic, and porcelain. Technicians also use computer programs and three-dimensional printers to create dental appliances and restorations.

Dental laboratory technicians may specialize in one or more of the following: orthodontic appliances, crowns and bridges, complete dentures, partial dentures, implants, or ceramics. Technicians may have different job titles, depending on their specialty. For example, technicians who make ceramic restorations such as veneers and bridges, are called ceramists.

Ophthalmic laboratory technicians make prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses. They are also commonly known as optical laboratory technicians.

Ophthalmic laboratory technicians typically use automated equipment to make lenses. Some technicians manufacture lenses for optical instruments, such as telescopes and binoculars. Ophthalmic laboratory technicians should not be confused with dispensing opticians, who work with customers to select eyewear and may prepare work orders for ophthalmic laboratory technicians.

Medical appliance technicians construct and repair medical supportive devices, such as hearing aids or leg braces. They use many different types of materials, such as metal, plastic, and leather.

Medical appliance technicians who create orthoses (braces, supports, and other devices) and prostheses (replacement limbs and facial parts) are sometimes referred to as orthotic and prosthetic technicians or O&P technicians.

Medical appliance technicians should not be confused with hearing aid specialists or orthotists and prosthetists, who work directly with patients. However, technicians may work closely with these other specialists to ensure proper fit or to repair devices.

Work Environment

Dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians held about 73,400 jobs in 2022. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians was distributed as follows:

Dental laboratory technicians	35,400
Ophthalmic laboratory technicians	21,300
Medical appliance technicians	16,600

The largest employers of dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians were as follows:

Medical equipment and supplies manufacturing	60%
Health and personal care retailers	6
Professional and commercial equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers	5
Offices of dentists	5
Offices of optometrists	4

Technicians may be exposed to health and safety hazards when handling certain materials. Workers typically wear protective equipment, such as goggles, gloves, or masks, to protect themselves from injury. They may spend a great deal of time standing or bending.

Work Schedules

Most dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians work full time, and schedules may vary.

Getting Started

Education:

56%

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

15%

Some College Courses

How to Become a Dental or Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician or Medical Appliance Technician

Dental laboratory technicians need dexterity to work with precision instruments.

To enter the occupation, dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians typically need at least a high school diploma or equivalent. They typically receive on-the-job training to attain competency.

Education

Dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians typically need at least a high school diploma or equivalent. High school students interested in becoming a dental or ophthalmic laboratory technician or medical appliance technician may benefit from taking classes in science, mathematics, and art.

Employers may prefer to hire candidates who have a postsecondary certificate or associate’s degree. Some community colleges and technical schools offer programs in dental or ophthalmic laboratory technology in which students gain experience completing specific tasks, such as surfacing and finishing prescription eyewear. Community colleges and technical schools also may offer programs in medical appliance technology fields, such as orthotics and prosthetics technology.

Most dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians learn their skills through on-the-job training. They may begin as helpers and learn more advanced skills as they gain experience. For example, dental laboratory technicians may start out making models from impressions and progress to designing and fabricating crowns and bridges.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Although optional, certification may demonstrate a level of competence and professionalism that makes candidates more attractive to employers. It also may increase opportunities for advancement.

The National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology offers certification as a Certified Dental Technician (CDT). Certification is available in six specialty areas: orthodontics, crown and bridge, complete dentures, partial dentures, implants, and ceramics. To qualify for the CDT, technicians must pass several exams and meet education, training, or experience requirements.

The American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics & Pedorthics offers certification for orthotic and/or prosthetic technicians. Technicians are eligible for the certification exam after completing an accredited program or if they have experience as a technician under the direct supervision of a certified orthotist or prosthetist or O&P technician.

Some employers prefer that ophthalmic laboratory technicians obtain certification from the American Board of Opticianry and National Contact Lens Examiners (ABO-NCLE) prior to hiring or after completing on-the-job training. Basic certification is earned after passing an exam.

Advancement

In large facilities, dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians may work their way up to a supervisory level and train new technicians. Some go on to own their own laboratory.

Job Outlook

Overall employment of dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians is projected to show little or no change from 2022 to 2032.

Despite limited employment growth, about 8,300 openings for dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Projected employment of dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians varies by occupation (see table).

Demand for dental laboratory technicians is expected to decline as 3D printing and other laborsaving technologies are increasingly used to produce dental parts and appliances.

The increasing number of older adults and an associated rise in age-related ailments will drive demand for medical appliance technicians. For example, these workers will be needed to produce supportive devices to help reduce pain and improve function for people with osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. Rising obesity rates in the general population will also translate into a greater need for orthoses, such as those for foot and ankle support. Meanwhile, the growing prevalence of diabetes, which may lead to limb loss, will spur demand for prosthetic care.

Ophthalmic laboratory technicians will be needed to make eyewear, such as glasses and contact lenses, as a growing population continues to require vision correction. However, automation in lens manufacturing will limit opportunities for these technicians.

Contacts for More Information

For information about requirements for certification of dental laboratory technicians, visit

National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology

For information about career opportunities in commercial dental laboratories, visit

National Association of Dental Laboratories

For a list of accredited programs for ophthalmic laboratory technicians, visit

International Council of Accreditation

For a list of accredited programs for medical appliance technicians, visit

American Academy of Orthotists & Prosthetists

National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education

For information on requirements for certification of medical appliance technicians, visit

American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics & Pedorthics

American Board of Opticianry and National Contact Lens Examiners

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Opticians	Opticians help fit eyeglasses and contact lenses, following prescriptions from ophthalmologists and optometrists.	High school diploma or equivalent	$39,610
Optometrists	Optometrists diagnose, manage, and treat conditions and diseases of the human eye and visual system, including examining eyes and prescribing corrective lenses.	Doctoral or professional degree	$125,590
Medical Equipment Repairers	Medical equipment repairers install, maintain, and repair patient care equipment.	Associate's degree	$57,860
Dentists	Dentists diagnose and treat problems with patients’ teeth, gums, and related parts of the mouth.	Doctoral or professional degree	$159,530
Orthotists and Prosthetists	Orthotists and prosthetists design and fabricate medical supportive devices and measure and fit patients for them.	Master's degree	$77,070