Optical Technician Schools

Optical technicians usually work in laboratories that make eyeglasses and contact lenses. They also fabricate lenses for optical instruments, such as binoculars and telescopes. Optical technician courses offered at vocational schools and community colleges provide students with the knowledge to operate equipment for cutting, grinding, edging and finishing lenses. Students also learn to use equipment such as computer-based generators, automatic edgers, lens-measuring instruments and small hand tools.

Training Provided

• As part of their coursework, students learn to read dispensing work orders; these are the prescription forms in which opticians specify how eyeglass lenses should be made and fit into frames. Training includes a basic grounding in physics, chemistry and mathematics with an emphasis on optical physics. Students learn about lens grinding and coating, workplace safety and interpersonal communication skills. Good manual dexterity and basic computer literacy are prerequisites for this work.

Skills Learned

• Optical technician schools teach students to pay close attention to detail, enabling them to correctly identify the lens and frame specifications from prescriptions and work orders. Students learn to use lens-measuring equipment for properly selecting and marking them according to specifications. Schools also prepare students to mount finished lenses in metal, plastic or rimless frames, and inspect the finished eyeglasses to make sure they conform to prescriptions. Students also learn how to examine broken lenses..

Types of Courses

• Associate degree courses in optical technology at colleges and technical schools provide classroom instruction and hands-on experience in a laboratory setting. Students are trained in computer technology, engineering and optical physics. More advanced courses assist students in advancing to positions such as optical laboratory supervisors or dispensing opticians. Such courses are commonly completed while they are employed.

Schools

• Several schools around the U.S. offer optical technician courses, These include National Career Education, where courses take about eight months to complete; the school also offers externships, enabling students to gain hands-on experience, American Career College offers courses that assist students in preparing for exams conducted by the American Board of Opticianry and National Contact Lens Examiners. Online courses are available from schools such as American Sentinel University, Dawn Career Institute and Daytona College..

Employment Opportunities

• According to Health Careers Center, employment for optical technicians is expected to steadily increase in the 2010-19 decade in spite of technological developments threatening to phase out the need for technicians to complete certain tasks. Job demand is expected to steadily increase due to an anticipated spike in middle-age and elderly people requiring vision care.