Will “Glass Silverer” 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 Frame Fitter
• 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 Silverer”

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

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

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