Ophthalmic Medical Technologists
Health ScienceO*NET 29-2099.05United States
Assist ophthalmologists by performing ophthalmic clinical functions and ophthalmic photography. Provide instruction and supervision to other ophthalmic personnel.
- Median annual earnings
- $50,530
- Projected change
- +9.4%
- Typical education
- High school diploma or less
- Employment
- 189.36K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
30% of the workforce
Growing to 207.08K by 2035
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The work
What ophthalmic medical technologists do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Conduct tonometry or tonography tests to measure intraocular pressure.
- Take and document patients' medical histories.
- Take anatomical or functional ocular measurements, such as axial length measurements, of the eye or surrounding tissue.
- Measure visual acuity, including near, distance, pinhole, or dynamic visual acuity, using appropriate tests.
- Administer topical ophthalmic or oral medications.
- Calculate corrections for refractive errors.
- Measure and record lens power, using lensometers.
- Collect ophthalmic measurements or other diagnostic information, using ultrasound equipment, such as A-scan ultrasound biometry or B-scan ultrasonography equipment.
- Perform ophthalmic triage, in the office or by phone, to assess severity of patients' conditions.
- Clean or sterilize ophthalmic or surgical instruments.
- Educate patients on ophthalmic medical procedures, conditions of the eye, and appropriate use of medications.
- Conduct ocular motility tests to measure function of eye muscles.
- Assess refractive condition of eyes, using retinoscope.
- Conduct visual field tests to measure field of vision.
- Measure corneal curvature with keratometers or ophthalmometers to aid in the diagnosis of conditions, such as astigmatism.
- Measure corneal thickness, using pachymeter or contact ultrasound methods.
- Assist physicians in performing ophthalmic procedures, including surgery.
- Measure the thickness of the retinal nerve, using scanning laser polarimetry techniques to aid in diagnosis of glaucoma.
- Supervise or instruct ophthalmic staff.
- Perform fluorescein angiography of the eye.
- Photograph patients' eye areas, using clinical photography techniques, to document retinal or corneal defects.
- Maintain ophthalmic instruments or equipment.
- Conduct tests, such as the Amsler Grid test, to measure central visual field used in the early diagnosis of macular degeneration, glaucoma, or diseases of the eye.
- Conduct binocular disparity tests to assess depth perception.
- Assess abnormalities of color vision, such as amblyopia.
- Call patients to inquire about their post-operative status or recovery.
- Conduct low vision blindness tests.
- Instruct patients in the care and use of contact lenses.
- Perform advanced ophthalmic procedures, including electrophysiological, electrophysical, or microbial procedures.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $37,952
- 25th percentile
- $44,116
- 50th percentile
- $50,530
- 75th percentile
- $65,081
- 90th percentile
- $87,758
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $50,530 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+9.4%faster than average
2025189,362 jobs
2035 projected207,083 jobs
17,721 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- High school diploma or less
- 30%
- Certificate
- 25%
- Bachelor's degree
- 25%
- Some college
- 10%
- Associate degree
- 10%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Ophthalmic Assistants66 postings
- 02Ophthalmic Technologists5 postings
Top employers
- 01University of Miami33 postings
- 02University of Pittsburgh Medical Center12 postings
- 03Universal Mccann Worldwide9 postings
- 04University of Mississippi Medical Center2 postings
- 05University of Rochester2 postings
- 06University of Utah Health2 postings
- 07Wolfe Eye Clinic2 postings
- 08Cleveland Clinic1 postings
- 09Eyecare Medical Group1 postings
- 10Genesis HealthCare1 postings
- 11Huntsman Cancer Institute1 postings
- 12Retina Specialists Of Michigan1 postings
- 13SUNY College of Optometry1 postings
- 14Smyrna Eye Group1 postings
- 15TE Connectivity1 postings
- 16University of Utah1 postings
- 17Virginia Eye Institute1 postings
- 18WSP Global1 postings
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