As of June 2026, Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians has an AI-exposure score of 55/100 (Elevated exposure) on the AI-Safe Careers index, blending O*NET tasks, the Anthropic Economic Index, the Penn/OpenAI study, and BLS data. This is an estimate of task exposure, not a prediction of job loss.
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians
More exposed than 50% of the roles we track. Median pay ~US$39,460. About 2,400 projected openings a year (BLS 2024–34 — growth plus replacement).
Pay & demand figures are US medians (BLS, in USD) — your local figures will differ. Your exposure score applies broadly.
How you compare to similar Production roles
Your tasks, by AI exposure
No automatable tasks identified for this role — its real, individually-assessed tasks consistently read as augmentable (100%).
- Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
- Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.
- Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.
- Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.
- Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.
- Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
- Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
- Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
- Set dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually.
- Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.
- Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
- Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
- Assemble eyeglass frames and attach shields, nose pads, and temple pieces, using pliers, screwdrivers, and drills.
- Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
- Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
- Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
- Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
- Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
No durable tasks identified for this role — its real, individually-assessed tasks consistently read as augmentable (100%).
Safer adjacent roles
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