Will “Hand Lens Polisher” 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 Glass Cutter
• 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 Lens Polisher”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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