Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician
Healthcare
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.
You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.
What you'd do all day
The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.
- 1Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
- 2Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
- 3Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
- 4Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
- 5Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
- 6Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
- 7Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
- 8Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.
- 9Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
- 10Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
- 11Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.
- 12Assemble eyeglass frames and attach shields, nose pads, and temple pieces, using pliers, screwdrivers, and drills.
- 13Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.
- 14Set dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually.
- 15Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
- 16Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
- 17Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.
- 18Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.
Also known as
What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.
- Edger
- Dotter
- Beveler
- Driller
- Spotter
- Optician
- Polisher
- Surfacer
- Bench Hand
- Lens Edger
How far is this from you?
Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.
1
Entry straight after SPM
Typical entry
SPM + sijil / short TVET course
3
Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)
4
Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)
5
Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route
Subjects that matter here
The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.
What you'd need to know
The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.
- Production and Processing77%
Design & Technology (RBT)Mechanical Engineering Studies
- Mechanical67%
Mechanical Engineering StudiesPhysicsDesign & Technology (RBT)
- Mathematics67%
Additional MathematicsMathematics
- Customer and Personal Service62%
- Administration and Management60%
BusinessEconomics
- English Language59%
English
Tools you'd use
Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.
What the work feels like
Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.
- Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
- Contact with other peopleConstant contact
- Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
- Handling conflict situationsOften
- Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
- Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
- Noisy environmentEvery day
- Time spent sittingA little
Where this job is heading
Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.
- Tint lenses according to customer specifications.
AI and demand for this job
A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.
Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)
This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.
Pay in Malaysia
We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.
Where to check:
- JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
- DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
- SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
Check what you may qualify for
Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.
How to get here
Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.
Related careers
If this interests you, these are worth a look too.
About this information
This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.
O*NET occupation: Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians
Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org