Will “Eyeglass Assembler” 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
• Edge Grinder
• Driller
• 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 “Eyeglass Assembler”

• Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.
• Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.
• 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.
• 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.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
• Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
• 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.
• 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.
• Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
• Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
• Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• Set dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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