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”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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