Will “Cylinder Worker” 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 Grinder
• Contact Lens Technician
• 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 “Cylinder Worker”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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