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

Tasks for “Contact Lens Cutter”

• 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.
• Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
• 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.
• 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.
• Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.
• 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.
• Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.
• Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
• 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.
• Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.
• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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