Will “Driller” 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
• Dotter
• 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 “Driller”

• 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.
• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• 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.
• Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
• Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
• Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
• Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
• Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• 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.
• Assemble eyeglass frames and attach shields, nose pads, and temple pieces, using pliers, screwdrivers, and drills.
• Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
• Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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