Salary and Outlook
According to the US Department of Labor, there are 67,200 people employed as ophthalmic medical technicians in
the United States.
The median annual salary is $37,180.
Entry level employees earn approximately $28,910 per year and senior employees earn approximately $58,500
per year.
Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.
Job Duties
- Measure and record lens power, using lensometers.
- Administer topical ophthalmic or oral medications.
- Conduct visual field tests to measure field of vision.
- Assist physicians in performing ophthalmic procedures, including surgery.
- Measure corneal curvature with keratometers or ophthalmometers to aid in the diagnosis of conditions, such as astigmatism.
- Conduct ocular motility tests to measure function of eye muscles.
- Clean or sterilize ophthalmic or surgical instruments.
- Maintain ophthalmic instruments or equipment.
- 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.
- Conduct binocular disparity tests to assess depth perception.
- Adjust or make minor repairs to spectacles or eyeglasses.
- Assist patients to select eyewear.
- Instruct patients in the care and use of contact lenses.
- Assess refractive conditions of eyes, using retinoscopes.
- Call patients to inquire about their post-operative status or recovery.
- Assist patients to insert or remove contact lenses.