Will “Grinder” 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)
• 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 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
• Grinder
• 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 “Grinder”

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

Related Technology & Tools

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

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