Will “Eyeglass Cutter” 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 Assembler
• 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 Cutter”

• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
• 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.
• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
• Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
• Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.
• Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.
• 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.
• Set dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually.
• Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
• Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
• Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.
• 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.
• Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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