Will “Lens Polisher” 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 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)
• 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 Polisher”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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