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)”

• Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
• Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
• Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
• Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
• Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
• Set dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually.
• 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.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
• Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.
• Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.
• Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.
• Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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