Will “Optical Instrument Assembler” 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 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)
• 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 “Optical Instrument Assembler”

• Assemble eyeglass frames and attach shields, nose pads, and temple pieces, using pliers, screwdrivers, and drills.
• Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
• Set dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually.
• 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.
• Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.
• 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.
• Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
• Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.
• Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.
• Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.
• Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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