Will “Polisher” 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
• 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
• Polisher
• 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 “Polisher”

• Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.
• Assemble eyeglass frames and attach shields, nose pads, and temple pieces, using pliers, screwdrivers, and drills.
• Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.
• 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.
• Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
• Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
• Set dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually.
• 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.
• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
• Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• 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.
• Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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