Will “Edger Technician” 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
• 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 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
• Edger Technician
• 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 “Edger Technician”

• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
• 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.
• Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
• Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.
• Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.
• Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.
• Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
• 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.
• Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.
• Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
• Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
• Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.
• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• Assemble eyeglass frames and attach shields, nose pads, and temple pieces, using pliers, screwdrivers, and drills.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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