Opticians fit customers for eyeglasses and contact lenses and help them choose frames and lenses. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics lists their duties as taking prescriptions from optometrists and ophthalmologists, measuring customers' eyes and faces with specialized tools, helping select frames and lens treatments, writing work orders for optical laboratories, adjusting, repairing and replacing eyewear, helping customers insert and remove contact lenses, and teaching them how to care for their eyewear. About 43 percent work in optometrists' offices; most of the rest work in retail stores.
The short answer: AI is very unlikely to replace opticians. The ILO's 2025 index places dispensing opticians in its not exposed group, with a score of 0.24. The BLS projects employment to grow 4 percent from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as average, from 74,300 to 77,400 jobs, with about 5,600 openings a year. The bigger pressure the BLS names is online eyewear sales, not AI. Projections are estimates, not guarantees.
How exposed opticians are
The International Labour Organization scores occupations' tasks from 0 (cannot be automated with generative AI) to 1 (could be done without a human operator), and groups them into gradients from 1 to 4, with 4 the most exposed; below them sit minimal exposure and not exposed (ILO Working Paper 140, 2025).
| Occupation (ISCO-08) | ILO category | Mean task score (0 to 1) |
|---|---|---|
| Dispensing Opticians | Not exposed | 0.24 |
Measuring a face, fitting a frame and adjusting it on the customer are hands on tasks done in person. Generative AI can help with paperwork and product questions, which is why the score is not zero.
What the BLS projects
| Occupation | Projected change 2025 to 2035 | Openings a year |
|---|---|---|
| Opticians | Grow 4% | About 5,600 |
The BLS expects greater demand for eye care as the number of older people grows and as more people live with chronic diseases that affect vision. It adds that growing consumer interest in buying eyewear online may temper demand for opticians somewhat.
Where AI is helping
- Virtual try on and frame suggestions for customers browsing before they visit.
- Checking prescriptions and work orders for errors before they go to the lab.
- Scheduling, reminders and routine questions about orders.
What stays with opticians
- Fitting: measuring and adjusting eyewear so it sits right and the lenses line up with the eyes.
- Contact lenses: showing customers how to insert, remove and care for them.
- Repairs: fixing and adjusting frames at the counter.
- Advice: matching lenses and treatments to how someone actually lives and works.
- Checking AI help: suggested products or answers can be wrong, which NIST calls confabulation (NIST AI 600-1). See checking AI output.
How the job is changing
Online sellers and digital try on tools take some of the selection work, while an aging population keeps the in person fitting and adjusting in demand. The BLS says opticians typically need a high school diploma and long term on the job training; some take an associate's degree or a one year certificate, and some states require a license. This page is general information, not career advice.
See also will AI replace optometrists?, will AI replace pharmacy technicians? and will AI replace medical assistants?
Pay and how to get in
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median annual pay for opticians dispensing at $47,260 in May 2025, against $50,980 for all workers. The typical education needed to enter is: high school diploma or equivalent. See how this job compares in AI exposure by pay and AI exposure by education level.
Questions and answers
Will AI replace opticians?
Not on current projections. The BLS projects 4 percent growth from 2025 to 2035, with about 5,600 openings a year, and the ILO rates dispensing opticians as not exposed.
How exposed are opticians to AI?
The ILO places dispensing opticians in its not exposed group, with a score of 0.24.
Will online glasses sales hurt opticians?
The BLS says growing interest in buying eyewear online may temper demand somewhat, while an aging population increases demand for eye care.
How do you become an optician?
The BLS says opticians typically need a high school diploma and long term on the job training, and some states require a license.