Will “Lens Edger” 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 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
• 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 “Lens Edger”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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