Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians vs Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic AI Risk

Job 1

Job 2

Job 1

Job 2

medium risk

Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians

49 shared · 14 different

core competencies

medium risk

Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Side-by-Side Comparison

Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians leads 4–1

Metric	Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians	Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Risk Score	39.7%	40.8%
Risk Tier	Medium Risk	Medium Risk
Risk Percentile	80th	83th
Tasks at Risk (>50%)	6 / 15	7 / 15
Median Salary	$38,420	$46,630
Employment	19K	5K

Skill Comparison

Sorted by largest difference

Controlling Machines and Processes

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates

Performing General Physical Activities

Thinking Creatively

Production and Processing

Making Decisions and Solving Problems

Mechanical

Arm-Hand Steadiness

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material

Processing Information

Near Vision

Protective Factors

Higher values indicate stronger protection against AI displacement

Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians

25%

total discount

Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

26%

total discount

Task Risk Comparison

Tasks sorted by AI automation risk — higher means more automatable

Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians

6 of 15 at risk

86%Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.

85%Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.

85%Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.

67%Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.

53%Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.

Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

7 of 15 at risk

87%Select and set cutting speeds, feed rates, depths of cuts, and cutting tools, according to machining instructions or knowledge of metal properties.

84%Lay out reference lines and machining locations on work, using layout tools, and applying knowledge of shop math and layout techniques.

72%Study machining instructions, job orders, or blueprints to determine dimensional or finish specifications, sequences of operations, setups, or tooling requirements.

63%Observe drilling or boring machine operations to detect any problems.

61%Move machine controls to lower tools to workpieces and to engage automatic feeds.

Wage Comparison

Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earns +$8,210(+21%) vs Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians

Ophthalmic Laboratory TechniciansDrilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

10th

$31,250$35,360

25th

$35,580$41,100

Median

$38,420$46,630

75th

$45,410$56,820

90th

$55,480$65,200

Premium Head-to-Head Analysis

Displacement Timeline Comparison

Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians2028–2035

Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic2028–2035

20242030203520402045

Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians has a longer runway before significant displacement, projected 0 years later than Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.

Risk-Adjusted Salary

Salary weighted by displacement risk: salary × (1 − risk%)

Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians

$23,152

from $38,420

Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

$27,596

from $46,630

After adjusting for AI risk, Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic offers $4,444 more in risk-adjusted pay.

Transition Feasibility

Skill Overlap

Low overlap — significant retraining needed for transition

Unique to Ophthalmic

Unique to Drilling

Combined Protection Strategy

Regardless of which path you choose, focus on these protective factors

Creativity

Regulatory Barriers

Social Intelligence

Fine Manipulation

Ophthalmic Laboratory TechniciansDrilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

Find transitions from Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians Find transitions from Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic