Will “Artificial Plastic Eye 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 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 Glass Eye Maker

Tasks for “Artificial Plastic Eye Maker”

• 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.
• Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• 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.
• Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
• Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.
• Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
• Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.
• 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.
• 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.
• Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
• Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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