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”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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