United Opticians Association Cites Workforce Model Projecting 76% Optician Adequacy by 2035

The United Opticians Association reports on a peer-reviewed workforce model published in Ophthalmology, which projects that under current conditions, the U.S. optician workforce will meet only 76% of demand by 2035. If policy barriers to eye care lessen, this adequacy rate is expected to fall further to 60%. The article notes that while roughly 6,800 positions open annually, retirements are outpacing new entrants. Unlike standardized medical fields, opticianry lacks a unified national training standard, leading to fragmented state-level requirements. In response to these shortages, Walmart launched a fully funded two-year Associate-to-Optician degree program in 2026, with licensed opticians at its stores earning an average starting wage of $33.75 per hour.