Will “Contact Lens Manufacturer” 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 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 “Contact Lens Manufacturer”

• Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
• 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.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
• Set dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually.
• Assemble eyeglass frames and attach shields, nose pads, and temple pieces, using pliers, screwdrivers, and drills.
• Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.
• Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.
• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
• Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
• Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.
• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
• Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
• Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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