Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians
Production · SOC 51-9083
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 51-9083 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
- SOC exposure
- 0.0%
- Low · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 49/100
- Moderate friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $39,460
- No H-1B offered-wage row for this SOC.
- Projected openings
- 4,100
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change +2.3%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- 0
- FY2025 certified LCAs; 4,999 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
Transition context
- H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
- Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
- Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
- This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.
AI Exposure Analysis
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
Top Skills
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand
View full H-1B trends →Certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications naming this occupation, FY2016–FY2025. A descriptive high-skill labor-demand signal — employer filings, not visa approvals or individual outcomes. Note: one LCA can cover multiple worker positions.
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
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.
Common titles: Edger Technician, Finishing Lab Technician, Lab Technician (Laboratory Technician), Lens Grinder and Polisher, Line Operator, Optical Lab Technician (Optical Laboratory Technician)
Representative Tasks
- •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.
- •Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
- •Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Mount materials or workpieces onto production equipment.
- •Inspect finished products to locate flaws.
- •Shape glass or similar materials.
- •Measure dimensions of completed products or workpieces to verify conformance to specifications.
- •Weigh finished products.
Tools & Technologies
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
Employment & Wage Trend
BLS OEWS, 2019–2025
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Outlook | Bright ↗ | 4% Bright |
| Median Salary | $39,460 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 100/100 | N/A |