Optician

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Work Tasks

• Fit eyeglasses and contact lenses prescribed by eye doctors
• Read prescriptions, help customers choose frames and lenses, and show them how to put contacts in and take them out
• Measure customers' eyes and make up work orders for eyeglasses
• Keep records on customer prescriptions, work orders, and payments
• Work for eye doctors, retail optical stores, hospitals, eye clinics, wholesale laboratories, and the government
• Work with prescriptions, eyeglass lenses, frames, contact lenses, artificial eyes, low vision aids, measuring instruments, microscopes, lensometers, lens grinding machines, and optical hand tools

Salary, Size & Growth

• $39,000 average per year ($18.75 per hour)
• A medium occupation (62,200 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow moderately (1.3% per year)

Education/Training

• Minimum for Entry: On-the-job training and an apprenticeship program
• Employers Prefer: A 2-year degree and 2 to 4 years apprenticeship
• Skills/Courses: College courses include physics, basic anatomy, algebra, and trigonometry, optical math, optical physics, and precision measuring instruments.
• Certification/Licensing: States may require passing an exam for certification or licensure.