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”

• Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
• Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.
• 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.
• Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
• Set dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
• Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.
• 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.
• Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.
• 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.
• 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.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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