Ophthalmic Medical Technicians: Career Profile
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.
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The Daily Work of Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Perform?
The core tasks performed by ophthalmic medical technicians span:
- Take and document patients' medical histories.
- Conduct tonometry or tonography tests to measure intraocular pressure.
- Operate ophthalmic equipment, such as autorefractors, phoropters, tomographs, or retinoscopes.
- Take anatomical or functional ocular measurements of the eye or surrounding tissue, such as axial length measurements.
- Measure visual acuity, including near, distance, pinhole, or dynamic visual acuity, using appropriate tests.
- Measure and record lens power, using lensometers.
- Administer topical ophthalmic or oral medications.
- Conduct visual field tests to measure field of vision.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective ophthalmic medical technicians rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technician (Certified Ophthalmic Medical Tech)
- Certified Ophthalmic Surgical Assistant
- Certified Ophthalmic Technician (COT)
- Certified Ophthalmic Technician-Surgical Assistant (COT-SA)
- Certified Retinal Angiographer
- Eyecare Advisor
- Health Technician (Health Tech)
- Medical Technician (Medical Tech)
How Many Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Are There?
There are roughly 634,631 ophthalmic medical technicians working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +3.2% over the projection horizon.
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $51,958 |
| Hourly median | $24.98 |
| 10th percentile | $33,686 |
| 25th percentile | $42,822 |
| 75th percentile | $61,093 |
| 90th percentile | $70,229 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Minnesota | $60,810 |
| Wisconsin | $50,660 |
| Vermont | $49,080 |
| Washington | $48,960 |
| Oregon | $48,730 |
| Connecticut | $48,520 |
| California | $47,940 |
| Maryland | $47,490 |
| New Jersey | $47,460 |
| Massachusetts | $47,450 |
| New Hampshire | $47,240 |
| Montana | $47,110 |
| New York | $46,910 |
| Hawaii | $46,850 |
| Alaska | $46,780 |
| Rhode Island | $46,090 |
| District of Columbia | $45,860 |
| Maine | $45,640 |
| Florida | $45,300 |
| Michigan | $45,070 |
| North Dakota | $44,970 |
| Colorado | $44,820 |
| Illinois | $44,790 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,620 |
| Nebraska | $44,600 |
| Iowa | $44,160 |
| Indiana | $43,200 |
| Arizona | $41,790 |
| Delaware | $41,730 |
| Virginia | $41,600 |
| West Virginia | $41,600 |
| North Carolina | $40,990 |
| Ohio | $40,000 |
| Louisiana | $39,100 |
| South Carolina | $38,840 |
| Idaho | $38,830 |
| Texas | $38,770 |
| South Dakota | $38,760 |
| Kansas | $38,750 |
| Kentucky | $38,740 |
| Tennessee | $38,720 |
| Puerto Rico | $38,050 |
| Georgia | $37,900 |
| Nevada | $37,630 |
| New Mexico | $37,510 |
| Missouri | $36,600 |
| Alabama | $36,260 |
| Arkansas | $36,160 |
| Utah | $36,000 |
| Mississippi | $35,960 |
| Oklahoma | $35,800 |
| Wyoming | $31,720 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Earnings for ophthalmic medical technicians differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $47,750 | 9.8% | 0.72 |
| New England | $47,450 | 6.8% | 1.59 |
| Middle Atlantic | $46,448 | 16.8% | 1.17 |
| Plains States | $45,318 | 5.8% | 0.97 |
| Great Lakes | $43,868 | 13.5% | 0.96 |
| Rocky Mountains | $42,346 | 4.1% | 1.12 |
| Southeast | $40,987 | 29.7% | 1.28 |
| Southwest | $39,136 | 13.2% | 1.06 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $101,440 | 40 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | MN | $60,810 | 730 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $58,790 | 700 |
| Eau Claire, WI | WI | $57,930 | 60 |
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $57,600 | 30 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $55,220 | 540 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $54,680 | 730 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $52,620 | 1,200 |
Industry Breakdown
The bulk of ophthalmic medical technicians are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 71,810 | $44,440 |
| Retail Trade | 3,120 | $35,960 |
| Educational Services | 720 | $57,320 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 310 | $54,650 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 180 | $47,440 |
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians work in the following industries:
Software Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Use
- 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)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of ophthalmic medical technicians reflects the following characteristics:
- Contact With Others
- Telephone Conversations
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How to Become Ophthalmic Medical Technicians
Most ophthalmic medical technicians positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Optometrists (Supplemental)
- Anesthesiologist Assistants (Supplemental)
- Radiation Therapists (Supplemental)
- Respiratory Therapists (Primary-Long)
- Anesthesiologists (Supplemental)
- Cardiologists (Supplemental)
- Dermatologists (Supplemental)
- Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Students preparing for ophthalmic medical technicians typically earn programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
3 programs across 1 majors
Sources
This profile draws on 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: 29-2057.00 (Ophthalmic Medical Technicians).
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