Will “Surfacing 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
• 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
• Surfacing 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
• 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 “Surfacing Technician”

• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
• Set dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually.
• Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.
• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
• Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
• Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.
• Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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