What Does it Take to Be an Ophthalmic Medical Technician?
Job Description: Assist ophthalmologists by performing ophthalmic clinical functions. May administer eye exams, administer eye medications, and instruct the patient in care and use of corrective lenses.
A Day in the Life of an Ophthalmic Medical Technician
- Maintain ophthalmic instruments or equipment.
- Take anatomical or functional ocular measurements of the eye or surrounding tissue, such as axial length measurements.
- Conduct binocular disparity tests to assess depth perception.
- Operate ophthalmic equipment, such as autorefractors, phoropters, tomographs, or retinoscopes.
- Assess refractive conditions of eyes, using retinoscopes.
- Conduct tonometry or tonography tests to measure intraocular pressure.
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What an Ophthalmic Medical Technician Should Know
These are the skills Ophthalmic Medical Technicians say are the most useful in their careers:
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.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Related Job Titles
- Ophthalmology Technician
- Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technician
- Certified Retinal Angiographer
- Certified Ophthalmic Technician with Surgical Assisting
- Certified Ophthalmic Technician-Surgical Assistant (COT-SA)
What Kind of Ophthalmic Medical Technician Job Opportunities Are There?
In the United States, there were 44,500 jobs for Ophthalmic Medical Technician in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 19.6% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 8,700 new jobs for Ophthalmic Medical Technician by 2026. There will be an estimated 4,600 positions for Ophthalmic Medical Technician per year.
The states with the most job growth for Ophthalmic Medical Technician are Arizona, Utah, and Maryland. Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, South Dakota, or Rhode Island. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Ophthalmic Medical Technician Average Salary
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians make between $24,770 and $54,830 a year.
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians who work in Minnesota, Massachusetts, or District of Columbia, make the highest salaries.
How much do Ophthalmic Medical Technicians make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $36,500 |
| Alaska | $46,770 |
| Arizona | $40,450 |
| Arkansas | $31,910 |
| California | $41,890 |
| Colorado | $38,030 |
| Connecticut | $42,930 |
| Delaware | $35,940 |
| District of Columbia | $50,290 |
| Florida | $36,750 |
| Georgia | $35,120 |
| Hawaii | $37,770 |
| Idaho | $28,800 |
| Illinois | $38,180 |
| Indiana | $35,970 |
| Iowa | $36,080 |
| Kansas | $33,710 |
| Kentucky | $33,640 |
| Louisiana | $37,590 |
| Maine | $38,180 |
| Maryland | $42,510 |
| Massachusetts | $48,300 |
| Michigan | $37,400 |
| Minnesota | $50,700 |
| Mississippi | $31,020 |
| Missouri | $35,400 |
| Montana | $33,970 |
| Nebraska | $36,840 |
| Nevada | $36,030 |
| New Hampshire | $42,630 |
| New Jersey | $45,420 |
| New Mexico | $36,290 |
| New York | $34,870 |
| North Carolina | $36,030 |
| North Dakota | $37,520 |
| Ohio | $37,590 |
| Oklahoma | $34,810 |
| Oregon | $42,170 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,770 |
| Rhode Island | $38,230 |
| South Carolina | $37,310 |
| South Dakota | $36,150 |
| Tennessee | $36,340 |
| Texas | $33,290 |
| Utah | $33,840 |
| Vermont | $42,610 |
| Virginia | $41,340 |
| Washington | $44,050 |
| West Virginia | $33,360 |
| Wisconsin | $40,310 |
What Tools & Technology do Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Ophthalmic Medical Technicians may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Web browser software
- Email software
- EyeMD EMR
- MediPro Medisoft Clinical
- NaviNet Open
- ezChartWriter
- iChartPlus
- AcuityPro
- Medflow Complete
Becoming an Ophthalmic Medical Technician
What education or degrees do I need to become an Ophthalmic Medical Technician?
How many years of work experience do I need?
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Sector
The table below shows the approximate number of Ophthalmic Medical Technicians employed by various industries.
References:
Image Credit: Robert Barnett via public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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