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

Tasks for “Contact Lens Blocker and Cutter”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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