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”

• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
• Set dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually.
• Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
• 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.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
• Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
• 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.
• 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.
• Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.
• Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.
• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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