Will “Prescription Eyeglass 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
• 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
• Benchroom Shop Optician
• Bench Hand
• Artificial Plastic Eye Maker
• Artificial Glass Eye Maker

Tasks for “Prescription Eyeglass Maker”

• 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.
• Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
• 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.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
• Set dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually.
• 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.
• Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.
• Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.
• Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
• Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.
• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.
• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
• Assemble eyeglass frames and attach shields, nose pads, and temple pieces, using pliers, screwdrivers, and drills.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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