Optical lab technicians create eyeglasses and other optical lenses, working in retail locations or ophthalmologist’s offices. They use ophthalmic instruments to grind and polish lenses, insert them into frames, and perform final fittings. Technicians also manufacture lenses for other devices and perform repair work.
An optical laboratory technician is a trained employee responsible for creating eyeglasses and other types of optical lenses. Most optical technicians are high school graduates and complete their training on the job in the lab, although some may seek additional preparation and certification through a professional college. Technicians are a vital part of an ophthalmologist’s or ophthalmologist’s practice because they are the ones responsible for taking the patient’s prescription and matching the corrective lenses to the eyeglass frames. The complete glasses are then brought to the patient for a final fit. In addition to creating lenses, technology is also responsible for maintaining the optical laboratory and its equipment.
Typically, an optical lab technician is part of a larger team that works in a retail location or an ophthalmologist’s office. In some cases, lens production may take place in a separate lab, with multiple technicians filling prescriptions and sending them to one or more offices. A patient’s visit usually begins with a consultation with the ophthalmologist to determine the best corrective lenses for their vision problems. The ophthalmologist or ophthalmologist will pass the prescription to the technician, who is responsible for fitting the patient’s glasses.
Once he has the prescription, the optical lab technician will select the appropriate lens blank and apply any shades or other special treatments needed by the patient. Technicians will need to use a variety of ophthalmic instruments to complete this procedure, including lensometers, curvers, and finishing machines. These instruments automatically perform most of the lens grinding and polishing work, but the technology will need to monitor the process and ensure the completed lenses match the prescription.
After the lenses are polished, the optical lab technician will inspect them for scratches and other imperfections and then insert the completed lenses into the frame. The technician may need to work with different types of frames and rims depending on the patient’s needs and current eyewear fashions. When the glasses are complete, the patient will try them on and the final fitting will be performed. If there are problems with the glasses, the technician may need to make minor adjustments or restart the entire process to catch serious failures.
In addition to the work of manufacturing eyeglasses, laboratory technicians are also employed to manufacture other types of optical lenses for use in telescopes, microscopes, binoculars, and other devices to enhance vision. Many of these products are manufactured in large manufacturing facilities, but some types of lenses require technicians to perform precision work on a smaller scale. An optical lab technician also performs repair work for all types of lenses if they are scratched or broken.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
