Will “Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians” 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

Also Known As…

• Surfacing Technician
• 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
• 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 “Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians”

• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
• 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.
• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
• Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.
• Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.
• Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
• 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.
• 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.
• Set dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually.
• Assemble eyeglass frames and attach shields, nose pads, and temple pieces, using pliers, screwdrivers, and drills.
• Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
• Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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