Will “Glass Frame Fitter” 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 Cutter
• Eyeglass Maker
• 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 “Glass Frame Fitter”

• Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.
• Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
• Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
• 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.
• 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.
• Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.
• Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
• Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
• Set dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually.
• Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
• Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.
• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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