Will “Dotter” 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
• Diamond Grinder
• Cylinder Worker
• 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 “Dotter”

• Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.
• 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.
• 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.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• 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.
• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.
• 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.
• Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
• Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.
• Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
• Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
• Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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