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Manufacturing & Production · Updated Aug 2026

Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians

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.

JVS 2.0.0-phase4b
AI Exposure
55/100
Moderate

How much of this occupation’s work can be materially affected by current AI systems.

Replacement Risk
55/100
Moderate

How likely exposure is to translate into reduced human demand.

Includes provisional estimates for AI adoption pressure and labour-market resilience. How this is measured

Evidence quality
Confidence82/100
Task coverage88%

Confidence reflects task coverage, mapping and capability-evidence quality, and how much of the score rests on provisional inputs.

Task-level evidence

What is driving the score?

Occupation scores are built from the task mix—not a single prediction about a job title.

JVS 2.0.0-phase4b
TaskImportanceAI impactExposure
Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.High
78
Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.High
78
Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.High
81
Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.High
78
Set dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually.High
78
Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.High
78
Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.High
81
Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.High
81
Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.High
57
Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.High
38
Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.High
33
Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.High
26
Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.High
24
Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.High
25
Assemble eyeglass frames and attach shields, nose pads, and temple pieces, using pliers, screwdrivers, and drills.High
18
Most exposed

Where AI can do more

Routine, digitized, and highly repeatable tasks face the greatest pressure.

  1. Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.81
  2. Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.81
  3. Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.81
  4. Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.78
Hardest to automate

Where people still matter

These tasks score lowest on automation feasibility—physical presence, judgement, accountability and real-world variability all resist end-to-end automation.

  1. Assemble eyeglass frames and attach shields, nose pads, and temple pieces, using pliers, screwdrivers, and drills.01
  2. Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.02
  3. Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.03
  4. Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.04
  5. Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.05
Where else this work leads

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Occupations O*NET links to this one. Relatedness reflects shared work, not a claim that these roles are safer.

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Beyond AI capability

Adoption and labour-market outlook

Structural factors are kept separate from raw capability so you can see what actually resists automation. Adoption pressure and labour-market resilience are still provisional models—25% of this occupation’s replacement-risk weight rests on them.

Human dependency61
Physical dependency52
Adoption pressure54
Labour-market resilience50
Methodology & sources

O*NET 30.3 occupational data interpreted through the JobsVsAI capability, automation and structural-constraint models.

Confidence82/100
CalculatedAug 21, 2026
Read methodology →