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Design, measure, fit, and adapt lenses and frames for client according to written optical prescription or specification. Assist client with inserting, removing, and caring for contact lenses. Assist client with selecting frames. Measure customer for size of eyeglasses and coordinate frames with facial and eye measurements and optical prescription. Prepare work order for optical laboratory containing instructions for grinding and mounting lenses in frames. Verify exactness of finished lens spectacles. Adjust frame and lens position to fit client. May shape or reshape frames. Includes contact lens opticians.
Business skills. Opticians are often responsible for the business aspects of running an optical store. They should be comfortable making decisions and have some knowledge of sales and inventory management.
Communication skills. Opticians must listen closely to what customers want. They must clearly explain options and instructions for care in ways that customers understand.
Customer-service skills. Because some opticians work in stores, they must answer questions and know about the products they sell. They interact with customers on a personal level, fitting eyeglasses or contact lenses. To succeed, they must be friendly, courteous, patient, and helpful to customers.
Decision-making skills. Opticians must determine what adjustments need to be made to eyeglasses and contact lenses. They must decide which materials and styles are most appropriate for each customer on the basis of their preferences and lifestyle.
Dexterity. Opticians frequently use special tools to make final adjustments and repairs to eyeglasses. They must have good hand‒eye coordination to do that work quickly and accurately.
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Characteristics of this Career |
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93% | Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. | |
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87% | Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. | |
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87% | Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. | |
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86% | Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical. | |
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85% | Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. | |
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81% | Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems. | |
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80% | Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job. | |
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78% | Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations. | |
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74% | Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace. | |
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73% | Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks. | |
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72% | Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. | |
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70% | 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. | |
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69% | Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles. | |
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67% | Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Strengths |
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89% | Enterprising - Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law. | |
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72% | Conventional - Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Values of the Work Environment |
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72% | Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy. | |
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67% | Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality |
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75% | Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. | |
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75% | Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. | |
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72% | Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). | |
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69% | Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. | |
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69% | Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. | |
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69% | Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person. | |
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66% | 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. | |
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66% | Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand. | |
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66% | Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent |
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100% | Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job? | |
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100% | Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job? | |
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96% | Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job? | |
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95% | Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job? | |
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95% | 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? | |
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94% | Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job? | |
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87% | Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people? | |
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86% | Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer? | |
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86% | 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? | |
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79% | Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions? | |
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76% | Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines? | |
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74% | 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? | |
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74% | 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? | |
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72% | 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? | |
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71% | Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job? | |
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70% | Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos? | |
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68% | 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? | |
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66% | 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? |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Tasks & Values |
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96% | Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests. | |
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93% | Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. | |
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89% | Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions. | |
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88% | Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. | |
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87% | 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. | |
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87% | Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. | |
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83% | Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. | |
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83% | Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. | |
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79% | Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. | |
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79% | Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients. | |
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77% | Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. | |
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76% | Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork. | |
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76% | Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data. | |
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76% | Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used. | |
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75% | Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others. | |
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75% | Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail. | |
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73% | Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. | |
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72% | Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people. | |
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72% | Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others. | |
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72% | Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills. | |
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70% | Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity. | |
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70% | Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance. | |
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70% | Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money. | |
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70% | Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects. | |
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68% | Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. | |
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68% | Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts. | |
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68% | Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics. | |
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67% | Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. | |
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66% | Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. |
Opticians help fit eyeglasses and contact lenses, following prescriptions from ophthalmologists and optometrists. They also help customers decide which eyeglass frames or contact lenses to buy.
Opticians typically do the following:
Opticians who work in small shops or prepare custom orders may cut lenses and insert them into frames—tasks usually performed by ophthalmic laboratory technicians.
Opticians held about 73,300 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of opticians were as follows:
| Offices of optometrists | 43% |
| Health and personal care retailers | 23 |
| Offices of physicians | 11 |
| Self-employed workers | 0 |
Opticians who work as part of a group optometry or medical practice work with optometrists and ophthalmologists to provide eye-related medical care to patients.
Opticians who work in large retail establishments, such as department stores, may have to work evenings and weekends. Most opticians work full time, although part-time opportunities also are available.
Opticians typically have a high school diploma or equivalent and receive some form of on-the-job training. Some opticians enter the occupation with an associate’s degree or a certificate from a community college or technical school. About half of the states require opticians to be licensed.
Opticians typically have a high school diploma or equivalent and learn job skills through on-the-job training. Training includes technical instruction in which, for example, a new optician measures a customer’s eyes or adjusts frames under the supervision of an experienced optician. Trainees also learn sales and office management practices. Some opticians complete an apprenticeship, which typically takes at least 2 years.
Other opticians complete a postsecondary education program at a community college or technical school. These programs award a 2-year associate’s degree or a 1-year certificate. As of 2017, the Commission on Opticianry Accreditation accredited 19 programs in 11 states.
Education programs typically include both classroom instruction and clinical experience. Coursework includes classes in optics, eye physiology, math, and business management, among other topics. Students also do supervised clinical work that gives them hands-on experience working as opticians and learning optical math, optical physics, and the use of precision measuring instruments. Some programs have distance-learning options.
The National Academy of Opticianry offers the Ophthalmic Career Progression Program (OCPP), a program designed for individuals who are already working in the field. The OCPP offers opticians another way to prepare for licensure exams or certifications.
About half of the states require opticians to be licensed. Licensure usually requires completing formal education through an approved program or completing an apprenticeship. In addition, opticians must pass one or more exams to be licensed. The opticianry licensing board in each state can supply information on licensing requirements.
Opticians may choose to become certified in eyeglass dispensing or contact lens dispensing or both. Certification requires passing exams from the American Board of Opticianry (ABO) and National Contact Lens Examiners (NCLE). Nearly all state licensing boards use the ABO and NCLE exams as the basis for state licensing. Some states also require opticians to pass state-specific practical exams.
In most states that require licensure, opticians must renew their license every 1 to 3 years and must complete continuing education requirements.
Employment of opticians is projected to grow 3 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
About 6,400 openings for opticians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many 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.
Greater demand for eye-care services is expected because of growth in the number of older people, who usually have more eye problems than younger people.
Increasing rates of chronic diseases also may increase demand for opticianry services because some diseases, such as diabetes, cause vision problems. In addition, opticians will be needed to fill prescriptions for corrective eyewear for people who have eye refraction problems such as myopia and astigmatism.
However, growing consumer interest in purchasing eyewear online may temper employment demand somewhat.
For more information about opticians, including certifications and a list of state licensing boards for opticians, visit
American Board of Opticianry and National Contact Lens Examiners
For a list of accredited programs, visit
Commission on Opticianry Accreditation
For more information about optician education, visit
National Academy of Opticianry
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of opticians.
| Occupation | Job Duties | Entry-Level Education | Median Annual Pay, May 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Audiologists |
Audiologists diagnose, manage, and treat patients who have hearing, balance, or related problems. |
Doctoral or professional degree | $82,680 |
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Dental and Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians and Medical Appliance Technicians |
Dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians make or repair dentures, eyeglasses, prosthetics, and related products. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $41,180 |
|
Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers |
Jewelers and precious stone and metal workers design, construct, adjust, repair, appraise and sell jewelry. |
High school diploma or equivalent | $47,140 |
|
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 |
|
Orthotists and Prosthetists |
Orthotists and prosthetists design and fabricate medical supportive devices and measure and fit patients for them. |
Master's degree | $77,070 |