Will “Lens Finisher” 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 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 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 Finisher”

• Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.
• 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.
• 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.
• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
• Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
• 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.
• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.
• 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.
• 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.
• Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
• Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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