Will “Hand Glass 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
• Glass Silverer
• 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 “Hand Glass Cutter”

• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
• Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
• Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
• 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.
• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• 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.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
• Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
• 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.
• Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.
• 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.
• Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.
• Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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