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”

• Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
• 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.
• 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.
• Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
• 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.
• Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.
• Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.
• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
• Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
• 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.
• Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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