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 pay, 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.

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