Will “Line Operator” 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)
• 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
• Line Operator
• 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 “Line Operator”

• Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
• 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.
• Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.
• Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
• Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
• Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
• Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
• Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.
• 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.
• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.
• 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.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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