Employers

Approximately 77,300 dispensing opticians are employed in the United States. About 41 percent work in offices of optometrists and physicians, 24 percent are employed in health and personal care stores (including optical goods stores), and 21 percent work at general merchandise retailers. In 2023, there were 44,850 brick-and-mortar optical retail locations in the United States, according to The Vision Council.

Starting Out

Since the usual ways of entering the field are either through completion of an apprenticeship program or two-year associates degree, students can use the services of their schools career services office or they can apply directly to optical stores.

Skilled dispensing opticians can expect to advance to supervisory or managerial positions in a retail optical store or become sales representatives for manufacturers of eyeglasses or lenses. Some open their own stores. A few opticians, with additional college training, become optometrists.

Visit http://www.nao.org/job-bank and https://jobs.opticianonline.net/jobs/dispensing-optician for job listings.

Join the National Academy of Opticianry and the United Opticians Association to access education resources, networking opportunities, and publications.

Talk to dispensing opticians about their careers. Ask them for tips on breaking into the field.

Visit https://opticians.org/UOA/UOA/Membership/State-Societies.aspx for a list of state-level optician associations.