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”

• 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.
• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
• Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
• Assemble eyeglass frames and attach shields, nose pads, and temple pieces, using pliers, screwdrivers, and drills.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
• Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.
• Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.

Related Technology & Tools

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

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