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.
• Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
• 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.
• 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.
• Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
• Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
• Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.
• Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
• Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.
• Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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