Will “Precision Optical Goods Worker” 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 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 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 “Precision Optical Goods Worker”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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