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How exposed to AI is a Ophthalmic Laboratory Technician?

Of the 18 tasks O*NET lists for ophthalmic laboratory technicians, 0 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 16 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called
Edger TechnicianFinishing Lab TechnicianLab Technician (Laboratory Technician)Lens Grinder and PolisherLine OperatorOptical Lab Technician (Optical Laboratory Technician)Optical TechnicianPolisherSurfacing Technician
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
18
tasks rated for this occupation
9%
hold a degree, from a survey of 32
19k
people do this job in the US
60 of 107
least protected in production

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Only with software built on top

2
  • Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements
  • Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications

Cannot be sped up

16
  • Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines
  • Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses
  • Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements
  • Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments
  • Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames
  • Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents
  • Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools
  • Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment
  • Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut
  • Assemble eyeglass frames and attach shields, nose pads, and temple pieces, using pliers, screwdrivers, and drills
  • Set dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually
  • Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons
  • Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames
  • Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates
  • Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities
  • Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage
What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.