Will “Benchroom Shop Optician” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

Job Description

Cut, grind, and polish eyeglasses, contact lenses, or other precision optical elements. Assemble and mount lenses into frames or process other optical elements. Includes precision lens polishers or grinders, centerer-edgers, and lens mounters.

Job Details

• The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 51-9083.00
• The Mean Annual Wage in the U.S. is $ 34,220.00
• The Mean Hourly Wage is $ 16.00
• Currently, there are 28,570 people on this job

☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians”.

Also Known As…

• Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians
• Surfacing Technician
• Polisher
• Optical Technician
• Optical Lab Technician (Optical Laboratory Technician)
• Line Operator
• Lens Grinder and Polisher
• Lab Technician (Laboratory Technician)
• Grinder
• Finishing Lab Technician
• Edger Technician
• Test Technician
• Surfacer
• Surface Room Shop Optician
• Surface Grinder
• Spotter
• Spectacle Truer
• Prism Measurer
• Prescription Eyeglass Maker
• Precision Optical Goods Worker
• Precision Lens Polisher
• Precision Lens Grinder
• Precision Lens Generator
• Precision Lens Centerer and Edger
• Optical Worker
• Optical Mechanic
• Optical Laboratory Mechanic
• Optical Instrument Assembler
• Optical Goods Drilling Machine Operator
• Optical Goods Drill Operator
• Optical Element Coater
• Optical Coating Technician
• Ophthalmic Technician
• Lens Silverer
• Lens Shaper Grinder
• Lens Polisher
• Lens Mounter
• Lens Mold Setter
• Lens Maker
• Lens Grinder
• Lens Generator
• Lens Finisher
• Lens Fabricating Machine Tender
• Lens Edger
• Lens Dotter
• Lens Cutter
• Lens Coating Technician
• Lens Cementer
• Layout Technician
• Laboratory Operations Coordinator (Lab Operations Coordinator)
• Laboratory Monitor (Lab Monitor)
• Hospital Laboratory Technician (Hospital Lab Technician)
• Hand Lens Polisher
• Hand Glass Cutter
• Glass Silverer
• Glass Frame Fitter
• Glass Cutter
• Eyeglass Maker
• Eyeglass Lens Cutter
• Eyeglass Cutter
• Eyeglass Assembler
• Edge Grinder
• Driller
• Dotter
• Diamond Grinder
• Cylinder Worker
• Cylinder Grinder
• Contact Lens Technician
• Contact Lens Manufacturer
• Contact Lens Lathe Operator
• Contact Lens Cutter
• Contact Lens Blocker and Cutter
• Contact Lens Blocker
• Beveler
• Bevel Polisher
• Bench Hand
• Artificial Plastic Eye Maker
• Artificial Glass Eye Maker

Tasks for “Benchroom Shop Optician”

• Set dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually.
• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
• Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
• Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.
• Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
• Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.
• Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
• Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
• Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.
• Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.
• Assemble eyeglass frames and attach shields, nose pads, and temple pieces, using pliers, screwdrivers, and drills.
• Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
• Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.

Related Technology & Tools

• Lens thickness calipers
• Argon lasers
• Corneal topographers
• Optical chain nose pliers
• Carbon dioxide CO2 lasers
• Soldering torches
• Riveting hammers
• Lens cutting machines
• Screw grippers
• Flathead screwdrivers
• Lens grinding machines
• 3-way screwdrivers
• Mini screwdrivers
• Spectrophotometers
• Potential acuity meters PAM
• Electric soldering kits
• Frame adjusting pliers
• Lab snips
• Drill presses
• Snipe nose pliers
• Lens coating machines
• Finger-piece pliers
• Prescription lens aligners
• Frame shaping pliers
• Deblocking pliers
• Optical tweezers
• Bent post pliers
• Flat nose pliers
• Diagnostic retinoscopes
• Rimless assembly measuring tools
• Nylon-brass mallets
• Cutting pliers
• Self-closing tweezers
• Keratometers
• Exophthalometers
• Tapered eyewire closure pliers
• Angling pliers
• Visual field testers
• Specular microscopes
• Neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet Nd:YAG lasers
• Hex nut wrenches
• Mini power drills
• Handheld tonometers
• Bench polishers
• Soldering irons
• Ultrasonic cleaners
• Phillips screwdrivers
• Chipping pliers
• Retinal cameras
• Soldering clamps
• Pachymeters
• Optical prisms
• Trial lens sets
• Pad removing tweezers
• Sagitta gauges
• Ball cutters
• Side cutting pliers
• Rimless scribe tools
• Pupilometers
• Nut wrenches
• Stereopsis testers
• Zylonite files
• Optical slit lamps
• Lens tinting equipment
• Lensometers
• Screw extracting pliers
• Wheel cutters
• Edge polishers
• Pupillary distance rulers
• Lens groovers
• Lens sizing pliers
• Phoropters
• pH testers
• Lens polishing machines

• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Outlook
• Eyeglass design software
• Microsoft Word
• Electronic medical record EMR software
• Microsoft Excel