Will “Contact Lens Blocker” 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
• Beveler
• Bevel Polisher
• Benchroom Shop Optician
• Bench Hand
• Artificial Plastic Eye Maker
• Artificial Glass Eye Maker

Tasks for “Contact Lens Blocker”

• 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.
• Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.
• 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.
• Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.
• Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
• Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
• Set dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually.
• Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• 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.
• Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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