Will “Lens Edger” 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 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
• Benchroom Shop Optician
• Bench Hand
• Artificial Plastic Eye Maker
• Artificial Glass Eye Maker

Tasks for “Lens Edger”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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