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”

• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
• Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
• Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
• Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
• Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
• Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
• 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.
• Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.
• Assemble eyeglass frames and attach shields, nose pads, and temple pieces, using pliers, screwdrivers, and drills.
• Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
• Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.
• 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.
• 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.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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