The Optician Shortage: Facts & Opportunities

In recent years, the United States has been confronting a growing challenge in eye care: a shortage of trained professionals across the spectrum. While much discussion has focused on optometrists and ophthalmologists, opticians—critical to dispensing eyewear, fitting lenses, and ensuring patients’ visual prescriptions are translated into good vision—are also in short supply. At New England College of Optometry, we believe understanding this shortage and its implications reveals why choosing to become an optician can be a highly rewarding, timely, and impactful career path.

What the Data Shows: A Workforce Under Pressure

• The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment of dispensing opticians will grow by about 3% from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
• Every year, about 6,800 openings for opticians are expected—many to replace retiring workers or those leaving the profession.
• Meanwhile, demand for eye care is rising sharply. The aging population, higher rates of chronic diseases (such as diabetes), and greater public awareness of vision issues all contribute to more people requiring corrective lenses or more complex optical aids.
• Projections also point to a mismatch between supply and demand in related eye-care professions, including optometry and ophthalmology, which further increases the burden on opticians to help meet patients’ vision needs.

Taken together, this means there is both opportunity and responsibility: optical practices, eyewear stores, clinics, and hospitals need skilled opticians more than ever.

Why the Shortage Matters

When there aren’t enough opticians:

• Patients may wait longer for glasses or contact lenses, or receive poorly fitted eyewear, which can affect quality of life, safety, and even job performance or school performance.
• Clinics and practices can become overburdened, leading to staff burnout or reduced attention to detail.
• People in rural or underserved areas are particularly affected, as fewer providers are physically accessible.

Thus, reinforcing the optician workforce is not just about filling jobs—it’s about ensuring people can see well, live fully, and maintain independence.

Why Becoming an Optician Is a Rewarding Career Choice

Given the need, there are multiple reasons why pursuing a career as an optician can be both meaningful and practical. Here are some of the key benefits:

1. Hands-On, Visible Impact
   As an optician, your work is tangible. You help someone see more clearly, fit glasses that are comfortable and practical, or adjust lenses so that they perform well under different lighting or activity conditions. That direct connection between what you do and a better quality of life for people can bring strong job satisfaction.
2. Relatively Accessible Training Path
   Many opticianry or dispensing optician programs are shorter and less costly than many other health-care professions. Some require certificates; others offer associate degrees. On-the-job training often complements formal instruction. This means you can enter the workforce sooner, with less debt in many cases.
3. Steady Demand and Job Security
   As mentioned, demand is rising because of demographic trends, increasing refractive errors, and chronic disease effects on vision. Even though online eyewear and automated lenses are growing, there remains a persistent need for professional opticians who can adjust frames, interpret prescriptions, manage special cases, and provide in-person care.
4. Flexibility and Variety
   Opticians may work in a variety of settings: independent optical shops, large retail chains, ophthalmology or optometry practices, specialized lens labs, or medical settings. Some choose part-time work; others full time. You’ll likely have a regular schedule, which for many contributes to better work/life balance.
5. Career Growth and Specialty Opportunities
   Once you’re established, there are paths to specialization (e.g. contact lenses, designer/special optics, low vision aids). You might also move into supervisory roles, management, or own your own optical business. For some, this role becomes a stepping stone into other parts of eye care or related fields.
6. Professional Certification & Recognition
   Being certified/licensed (where applicable) enhances credibility. It demonstrates your skill set and helps in differentiating you in a competitive landscape. Patients appreciate knowing their spectacles fitting is handled by someone who knows the science and craft.
7. Meaningful Work that Matters Every Day
   Vision is central to most people’s daily lives—reading, driving, working, interacting socially. Helping preserve or restore vision is profoundly meaningful. For people struggling with difficult prescriptions, special frames, or delicate fits, the expertise of an optician makes a real difference.

What to Consider (and What’s Changing)

While there are many positives, it’s fair to acknowledge the challenges, so those considering the role can have realistic expectations:

• Some tasks can become repetitive (e.g., adjustments, frame repairs, routine fittings).
• Competition from online retailers or automated lens services can pressure traditional optical businesses. However, many online services still rely on opticians for certain services (frame adjustments, complex prescriptions, etc.).
• Licensing and regulation vary by state: in some places, official licensing or certification is required; in others, not. Training opportunities may also vary by region.

Why NECO Recommends Opticianry

At New England College of Optometry, we see opticianry as essential to fulfilling the mission of accessible, high-quality vision care. Our programs aim not only to train opticians in optics and dispensing but also to instill patient-centered skills, professional ethics, and a broader understanding of vision science. For those who enter our programs, we strive to prepare you so that you may:

• Step into roles with confidence, technical skill, and empathy;
• Be ready to serve diverse populations—including those in underserved rural or urban areas;
• Advance in your career, whether your goal is clinical excellence, management, specialty work, or entrepreneurship.

How to Get Started

If you’re considering becoming an optician, here are a few steps to begin:

1. Explore Opticianry Programs — Look for certificate or associate degree programs accredited in your state. Some states allow you to apprentice in an optical shop for a period of time rather than pursue an academic degree. Check your state’s requirements in advance.
2. Ensure Hands-On Experience — Practical training, internships, or mentorships are critical to learn frame fitting, lens adjustments, and patient interaction.
3. Understand Licensure/Certification Requirements — Check your state’s regulatory requirements for dispensing opticians or optical dispensing.
4. Develop Soft Skills — Communication, attention to detail, patience, and customer service are important—even more than you might expect.
5. Stay Curious and Keep Learning — Optics, lens technologies, coatings, specialized eyewear for sports, safety, or fashion—all are areas constantly evolving.

Conclusion

The national shortage of opticians underscores both a challenge and an opportunity. As more people require vision correction and eye-health care, having skilled opticians in our communities isn’t optional—it’s essential. For individuals seeking a career where you can make tangible daily impact, acquire specialized knowledge, enjoy relative stability, flexibility, and growth, becoming an optician offers more than just a job—it offers purpose.

At NECO, we are committed to preparing the next generation of opticians to meet this need. If you’re passionate about helping others see clearly—literally and figuratively—there’s never been a better time to join this field.