Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists: Career Profile
Provide therapy to patients with visual impairments to improve their functioning in daily life activities. May train patients in activities such as computer use, communication skills, or home management skills.
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The Daily Work of Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists Take On?
The core tasks performed by low vision therapists, orientation and mobility specialists, and vision rehabilitation therapists cover:
- Teach cane skills, including cane use with a guide, diagonal techniques, and two-point touches.
- Recommend appropriate mobility devices or systems, such as human guides, dog guides, long canes, electronic travel aids (ETAs), and other adaptive mobility devices (AMDs).
- Train clients with visual impairments to use mobility devices or systems, such as human guides, dog guides, electronic travel aids (ETAs), and other adaptive mobility devices (AMDs).
- Develop rehabilitation or instructional plans collaboratively with clients, based on results of assessments, needs, and goals.
- Write reports or complete forms to document assessments, training, progress, or follow-up outcomes.
- Train clients to use tactile, auditory, kinesthetic, olfactory, and proprioceptive information.
- Assess clients' functioning in areas such as vision, orientation and mobility skills, social and emotional issues, cognition, physical abilities, and personal goals.
- Teach clients to travel independently, using a variety of actual or simulated travel situations or exercises.
Skills and Knowledge
Top low vision therapists, orientation and mobility specialists, and vision rehabilitation therapists draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Blind Orientation and Mobility Therapist (Blind O and M Therapist)
- Certified Low Vision Therapist (CLVT)
- Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS)
- Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist (CVRT)
- Global Mobility Specialist
- Low Vision Therapist
- Mobility Professional
- Mobility Specialist
Employment and Demand
There are about 3,202,021 low vision therapists, orientation and mobility specialists, and vision rehabilitation therapists working in the United States today. Employment is projected to decline by -1.5% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $124,839 |
| Hourly median | $60.02 |
| 10th percentile | $74,068 |
| 25th percentile | $99,454 |
| 75th percentile | $150,225 |
| 90th percentile | $175,611 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $119,470 |
| Oregon | $106,840 |
| Nevada | $104,770 |
| Colorado | $103,970 |
| Oklahoma | $103,510 |
| New Jersey | $103,340 |
| Washington | $102,360 |
| Arizona | $102,220 |
| Connecticut | $102,080 |
| Maryland | $101,880 |
| Texas | $101,760 |
| Virginia | $100,540 |
| Alaska | $100,070 |
| Arkansas | $99,350 |
| District of Columbia | $99,290 |
| New Mexico | $99,220 |
| Rhode Island | $99,150 |
| Florida | $99,070 |
| Illinois | $98,900 |
| Georgia | $98,690 |
| Massachusetts | $98,420 |
| South Carolina | $97,370 |
| Kansas | $97,000 |
| Delaware | $96,080 |
| Tennessee | $96,030 |
| Ohio | $95,880 |
| Alabama | $95,410 |
| New York | $95,370 |
| North Carolina | $94,580 |
| Hawaii | $94,550 |
| Pennsylvania | $94,120 |
| Louisiana | $94,030 |
| Missouri | $93,600 |
| Indiana | $93,500 |
| Utah | $93,310 |
| West Virginia | $93,260 |
| Mississippi | $92,330 |
| Kentucky | $91,250 |
| Wyoming | $89,370 |
| Iowa | $88,780 |
| Idaho | $88,470 |
| Nebraska | $87,010 |
| Wisconsin | $86,660 |
| Vermont | $86,420 |
| Minnesota | $85,040 |
| New Hampshire | $84,980 |
| Michigan | $84,480 |
| Montana | $84,440 |
| Maine | $82,200 |
| South Dakota | $81,430 |
| North Dakota | $79,910 |
| Puerto Rico | $47,590 |
Where Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists Earn the Most
Earnings for low vision therapists, orientation and mobility specialists, and vision rehabilitation therapists differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $113,703 | 12.2% | 0.74 |
| Southwest | $101,825 | 10.6% | 0.84 |
| Rocky Mountains | $98,296 | 4.1% | 1.11 |
| Middle Atlantic | $97,244 | 17.2% | 1.13 |
| Southeast | $97,018 | 22.9% | 0.94 |
| New England | $96,547 | 8.1% | 1.71 |
| Great Lakes | $92,914 | 17.1% | 1.20 |
| Plains States | $89,024 | 7.6% | 1.14 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $134,720 | 700 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | CA | $133,850 | 80 |
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $129,830 | 90 |
| Chico, CA | CA | $128,980 | 80 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $128,960 | 1,510 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $126,220 | 90 |
| Napa, CA | CA | $124,680 | 40 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $123,900 | 650 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of low vision therapists, orientation and mobility specialists, and vision rehabilitation therapists are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 125,010 | $99,190 |
| Educational Services | 20,390 | $83,890 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 2,490 | $87,430 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 500 | $97,760 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 280 | $60,550 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 80 | $84,030 |
| Finance and Insurance | 40 | $104,660 |
Below are examples of industries where low vision therapists, orientation and mobility specialists, and vision rehabilitation therapists work:
Tools and Technology
- Data base user interface and query software: Amazon Web Services AWS software (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Process mapping and design software: Microsoft Visio (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Oracle Database (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: Oracle Java (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: Oracle PeopleSoft (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: Python (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for low vision therapists, orientation and mobility specialists, and vision rehabilitation therapists tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Physical Proximity
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level low vision therapists, orientation and mobility specialists, and vision rehabilitation therapists positions require a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
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- Marriage and Family Therapists (Supplemental)
- Mental Health Counselors (Primary-Long)
- Rehabilitation Counselors (Primary-Short)
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers (Supplemental)
- Special Education Teachers, Preschool (Supplemental)
- Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten (Primary-Long)
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School (Supplemental)
- Adapted Physical Education Specialists (Primary-Long)
Where to Study
Future low vision therapists, orientation and mobility specialists, and vision rehabilitation therapists typically earn programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-1122.01 (Occupational Therapists).
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