Nature of the Work
When an order for a pair of prescription glasses reaches the laboratory, the technician reads the specifications. Standard lens blank is selected and marked to indicate wherethe curves specified on the prescription should be ground. Next the blank is placed on a block and then in the lens grinder. The technician sets the dials of the lens grinder, which in a few minutes carves the correct degree of curvature into the blank. The next step is the oscillating machine, which rotates the lens against a fine abrasive to smooth thorough edges. Even finer abrasives are used to shine the lento a bright finish.
Next the technician looks at the lens through a lensome-ter, an instrument similar in shape to a microscope. This measures the degree and placement of the curve on the lens. The degree of curvature and placement must fit the prescription exactly. If not, another lens must be prepared. Once the technician has verified that the lens meets prescription specifications, it is ready to be fitted into the frame. The technician cuts the lens and bevels the edges to fit the frame. If the prescription calls for tinted lenses, the technician dips each lens into dye. Finally the lenses and frame parts are assembled in a finished pair of glasses.
Job Titles
In small laboratories, technicians generally handle every phase of the operation: grinding, beveling, tinting, and fin-icing the lenses, as well as assembling the frames. Since they are responsible for making a pair of glasses from start to finish, these technicians must be well versed in every stage of the process. In large laboratories the production process is broken into a number of steps, and technicians generally specialize in one or more tasks, assembly-lifestyle. Technicians who work in this setting have job titles that denote their area of expertise. These job titles are: Glass cutter Hand-grinder Eyeglass lens cutters Precision lens enterers and edger shard contact lens blockers, cutters, and lathe operators Multifocal-lens assemblers
Working Conditions
Most ophthalmic laboratory technicians work regular nine-to-five hours, five days a week. Some work part-time. They must have good vision and well-developed hand-eye coordination. They should have mechanical aptitude, an interest in mathematics and science, and an ability to do work that requires close attention to detail. They must wear protective goggles to protect their eyes from broken glass, and they also must be able to stand for long periods of time.
There are currency 19,000 technicians in ophthalmic labs. About half work in retail stores that are part of optical goods chains or optical departments of department stores and large drugstores. The rest of the jobs are in optical labs that produce glasses for ophthalmologists, optometrists, and retail stores that do not manufacture their own eyewear. Some ophthalmic laboratory technicians work directly for ophthalmologists or optometrists who dispense eyeglasses directly to their patients.
Training
Nearly all ophthalmic laboratory technicians learn their skills on the job. Employers filling entry-level jobs prefer applicants who are high school graduates. Courses in science and mathematics are valuable, and the ability to do precision work is essential.
Entry-level workers start out as technical trainees. At first, trainees perform simple tasks such as marking or blocking the lenses for grinding. As they gain experience and become familiar with the laboratory and the processes, they progress to operations such as lens grinding, lens cutting, edging, beveling, and eyeglass assembly. When trainees have acquired experience in all the principal phases of the work, they are considered all-around technicians. This usually takes six to eight months depending on the learner's aptitude. Some technicians become proficient in only one phase of the operation, such as lens grinding. Learning a single skill takes less time than training to become an all-around technician. Some ophthalmic technicians learn their trade in the armed forces. Others attend one of the small numbers of formal programs inoptical technology offered by vocational-technical or trade schools. In these programs students study subjects such as optical theory, surfacing and lens finishing, and how to read and apply prescriptions. Formal programs vary in length from six months to one year. Graduates earn certificates or diplomas.
Ophthalmic technicians can become supervisors and managers. Some technicians become dispensing opticians, although this is unusual.
Salary and Employment Outlook
The job outlook for this career is expected to increase at the same rate as all occupations through the year 2005. Most of the new jobs in ophthalmic labs will be in retail optical chains. Catering to consumers' desire for fast and convenient service, these stores are experiencing rapid growth and are expected to play an increasingly prominent role in the production of eyewear.
Ophthalmiclaboratorytechniciansgenerally make between $14,185 and $23,900. Trainees are usually paid the minimum wage, and proficient or supervision lab technicians can make as much as $25,000.
