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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.
What Tasks Do 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.
What Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Need to Know
Top ophthalmic medical technicians draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Types of Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Jobs
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)
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 634,631 ophthalmic medical technicians working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +3.2% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians
| 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 |
Pay can vary substantially 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
Pay for ophthalmic medical technicians shift depending on where you work. 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 |
Top Metro Areas
| 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 found across these industries:
| 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 |
Below are examples of industries where ophthalmic medical technicians work:
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
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Telephone Conversations
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level 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), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Optometrists (Supplemental)
- Anesthesiologist Assistants (Supplemental)
- Radiation Therapists (Supplemental)
- Respiratory Therapists (Primary-Long)
- Anesthesiologists (Supplemental)
- Cardiologists (Supplemental)
- Dermatologists (Supplemental)
- Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric (Supplemental)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Students preparing for ophthalmic medical technicians commonly pursue programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
3 programs across 1 majors
Sources
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: 29-2057.00 (Ophthalmic Medical Technicians).
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