Will “Contact Lens Technician” 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 Manufacturer
• 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 Technician”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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