7 of the Most Popular Types of Optical Field Jobs in 2026

See what kind of roles similar to Optical Field jobs are hiring now

Top Types Of Optical Field Jobs

• Optical

  Salary range: $34,000 - $48,500

  Optical is a popular job search query. Most salaries for Optical jobs pay between $34,000 (25th percentile) and $48,500 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Optical job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Optician

  Salary range: $34,500 - $44,500

  Opticians work with optometrists or ophthalmologists to design and fit corrective lenses for patients. These lenses include glasses and contact lenses, as well as low-vision aids (magnifying lenses) and ophthalmic prosthetics (artificial eyes), depending on the patient’s needs and the instructions given by the optometrist or ophthalmologist. Opticians make adjustments to the devices to ensure comfort for the patient, such as tightening or loosening glasses frames. While opticians are trained to read the prescriptions provided by the eye doctor, they do not test vision, write prescriptions, or diagnose or treat any eye conditions.

• Optical Assistant

  Salary range: $32,000 - $38,000

  An optical assistant is a vision care customer’s first point of contact, as you work in the retail or sales departments or optometrist’s offices. In this career, you are responsible for greeting patients and helping them select the right eyewear as well as repairing and making adjustments to the eyewear. Assistants perform duties such as fitting eyeglasses or contacts under supervision, measuring an eye or bridge of the nose, scheduling appointments, gathering important patient information, and maintaining medical files. Customer service is an important part of the job.

• Optical Manager

  Salary range: $51,000 - $76,500

  Optical managers oversee the day-to-day operations of an optometrist’s office. As an optical manager, your job duties include a mix of administrative and eye care tasks, such as hiring and training staff, managing inventory, processing insurance and billing, submitting work orders for eyeglasses and contact lenses, adjusting eyeglasses, and maintaining client records. The qualifications to become an optical manager include several years of experience working in the eye care field, strong communication skills, and the ability to multitask. An associate or bachelor’s degree in business or a related field may make you a more valuable candidate for optical manager positions.

• Remote Optical

  Salary range: $34,000 - $48,500

  Remote Optical is a common job search query. Most salaries for Remote Optical jobs pay between $34,000 (25th percentile) and $48,500 (75th percentile) annually. You’ll find many open positions nationwide for Remote Optical job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter.

• No Experience Optical

  Salary range: $34,000 - $48,500

  No Experience Optical is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for No Experience Optical jobs pay between $34,000 (25th percentile) and $48,500 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for No Experience Optical job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Optical Technician

  Salary range: $34,000 - $48,500

  An optical technician, also known as an ophthalmic laboratory technician, fills prescriptions for eyeglass lenses and contact lenses. As an optical technician, you may work in a medical equipment laboratory or directly in an optometrist’s office. One of your job duties is utilizing manufacturing machinery, such as grinders and lensometers, to ensure each lens is curved to the correct prescription for individual patients. Optical technicians are different from opticians, but some offices use the terms interchangeably. A technician usually works closely with an optometrist, or eye doctor, to ensure that each set of lenses is created correctly. Other common responsibilities include fitting glasses frames to suit the patient’s face, checking the correct prescription is sent to the lab, and drafting records about each order that is filled. Some employers require optical technicians to perform administrative duties, such as updating patient records and verifying insurance policies.