Will “Laboratory Monitor (Lab Monitor)” 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)
• Hospital Laboratory Technician (Hospital Lab Technician)
• Hand Lens Polisher
• 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 “Laboratory Monitor (Lab Monitor)”

• Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
• 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.
• 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.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• 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.
• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• 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.
• Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
• Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
• Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.
• Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
• Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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