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”

• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
• Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.
• Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
• 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.
• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.
• Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
• 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.
• Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
• Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
• Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
• Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.
• Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
• Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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