Beyond the Optician: Lesser-known Optical Professions

When we talk about the field of optics, images of the in-store optician or the ophthalmologist naturally come to mind. However, a multitude of technical, scientific, and creative professions work to ensure the quality of optical frames and sunglasses, as well as the performance of lenses, or even to advance knowledge about our visual system. They are often mentioned by major brands without anyone really knowing their profession. Here's a brief overview of the lesser-known optical professions that contribute to the sector's value chain.

Frame design: between craftsmanship, trends and technical constraints

Frame design is one of the most important creative aspects of the industry. It's not just about designing beautiful glasses, but also about creating products that are aesthetically pleasing, comfortable, functional, and durable.

Designers must integrate ergonomic constraints (facial morphology, weight, adjustability), industrial constraints (mass production or artisanal production), and marketing constraints (trend, brand identity, positioning).

They must also think about materials: acetate, titanium, wood, bio-acetate or even recycled metal, increasingly favoring eco-responsible approaches .

Specialized training programs like the one offered at the ICO ( Institute and Campus of Optics ) allow future designers to acquire dual technical and artistic skills. They learn to design frames from the drawing stage to workshop production, using CAD (Computer Aided Design) software, 3D printers, and even numerically controlled milling machines.

This profession plays a key role in the differentiating positioning of brands , particularly in the high-end and designer segment.

The profession of designer remains little-known, even within the industry. To address this, initiatives like Manufacture Tours allow opticians to learn more about frame design.

Glass engineering: optical innovations and technological feats

The glasses that correct our vision are the result of research and complex calculations carried out by specialized engineers.

Working in R&D laboratories or within major glass manufacturers such as EssilorLuxottica or Novacel , these engineers design lenses capable of meeting very specific needs: reduction of blue light, automatic adaptation to light, limitation of night glare, scratch resistance, lightness, or even filters for visual pathologies.

The development of a progressive lens , for example, requires advanced mathematical models and very high-precision optical simulations.

With the arrival of smart glasses incorporating microcircuits (connected lenses for smart glasses), the profession is taking on a digital dimension, at the crossroads of optics, electronics and health needs.

Photonic systems technician: one of the lesser-known yet essential professions in optics

Photonics is one of the essential fields of the optical industry: it concerns the manipulation of light to transmit, process or capture information.

Among the lesser-known professions in optics, photonic systems technicians are those who bring the ideas of researchers and engineers to life. They assemble, adjust, test, and maintain complex optical devices: lenses, lasers, sensors, optical fibers, and analytical instruments. Their expertise is sought after in a variety of sectors: medical imaging, defense, space, scientific instrumentation, high-tech industry, and, of course, ophthalmic optics.

The BTS Photonic Systems or the BUT Physical Measurements are the preferred access routes to this profession, which is in high demand today.

In the ophthalmic sector , these technicians are essential in factories manufacturing lenses or visual diagnostic devices (refractometers, optical coherence tomography tools, etc.)

Neuro-ophthalmology research: understanding vision beyond the eye

Neuro-ophthalmology studies how the brain interprets signals transmitted by our eyes. It is a discipline located at the intersection of neuroscience and ophthalmology.

Neuro-ophthalmology researchers study complex phenomena such as visual perception, optical illusions , vision disorders linked to neurological pathologies (stroke, multiple sclerosis, tumors), or even the brain's compensation mechanisms in people with visual impairment.

This field of research mobilizes a variety of skills: functional MRI, electrophysiology, artificial intelligence, cognitive modeling. Research institutions such as the Institut de la Vision (Paris), INSERM , and CNRS regularly collaborate with optical industry players to transform this research into concrete innovations, such as sensory rehabilitation glasses, pathology prediction algorithms, brain-machine interfaces, and more.

Behind every pair of glasses lies a chain of diverse and essential professions, each embodying know-how, innovation, and expertise. Designers, engineers, technicians, researchers: all work to improve our quality of vision, anticipate the needs of tomorrow, and advance a dynamic industry that is sometimes under-recognized for its diversity.