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

Tasks for “Lens Maker”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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