Will “Eyeglass Maker” 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 Lens Cutter
• Eyeglass 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 Maker”

• Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.
• Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
• Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.
• 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.
• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
• Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
• Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
• Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.
• Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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