What is an optical manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Todd Peabody

An optical manager oversees the operations of an optical shop or department. They manage staff, maintain inventory, and ensure customer satisfaction. Optical managers may also be involved in marketing and sales efforts to promote products and services. They typically have a background in optometry or retail management and possess leadership and communication skills. An optical manager balances the needs of customers with the business's financial goals while maintaining a high level of quality and service.

What general advice would you give to an optical manager?

Dr. Todd Peabody

Clinical Associate Professor, Associate Dean, Indiana University

You're not an island and can take better care of your patients with the help of fellow professionals as well as friends and colleagues. Don't hesitate to reach out for guidance and advice. Find a few mentors who can help you plot your course through your professional career. Create specific, actionable goals that you revisit on a periodic basis.

ScoreOptical ManagerUS Average

Salary

3.1

Avg. Salary $39,584

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.4

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

8.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.35%

Asian 9.20%

Black or African American 5.61%

Hispanic or Latino 19.14%

Unknown 3.84%

White 61.86%

Gender

female 67.59%

male 32.41%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress level

6.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.7

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.4

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an optical manager?

Pros

Good salary and benefits
Opportunity for career advancement
Flexibility in scheduling and work hours
Ability to develop strong relationships with patients and staff
Ability to work in a growing industry

Cons

Long hours and unpredictable schedules
High stress levels at times
Difficulty finding qualified staff members
Need for ongoing training and education to keep up with industry changes
Responsibility for managing staff conflicts and issues

Key steps to become an optical manager

Explore optical manager education requirements

Most common optical manager degrees

Bachelor's

39.5 %

Associate

29.7 %

High School Diploma

18.0 %

Start to develop specific optical manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	25.48%
Payroll	14.94%
Customer Satisfaction	14.16%
Customer Complaints	12.54%
Customer Service	4.87%

Complete relevant optical manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 2-4 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New optical managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an optical manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real optical manager resumes.

Research optical manager duties and responsibilities

Manage patients vision benefits and do comparative analysis of benefits vs. promotions.
Maintain coating quality using adhesion testing and spectrophotometers, and manage coating hues and reflectance adjustments.
Install data and voice cabling, Cat6 and Cat5e.
Maintain a well HIPPA policy environment.

Prepare your optical manager resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your optical manager resume.

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Choose from 10+ customizable optical manager resume templates

Build a professional optical manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your optical manager resume.