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Date: 12/04/2025

Ophthalmic Medical Technologists

Assist ophthalmologists by performing ophthalmic clinical functions and ophthalmic photography. Provide instruction and supervision to other ophthalmic personnel. Assist with minor surgical procedures, applying aseptic techniques and preparing instruments. May perform eye exams, administer eye medications, and instruct patients in care and use of corrective lenses.

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    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Supervise or instruct ophthalmic staff.
    • Collect ophthalmic measurements or other diagnostic information, using ultrasound equipment, such as A-scan ultrasound biometry or B-scan ultrasonography equipment.
    • Conduct ocular motility tests to measure function of eye muscles.
    • Measure visual acuity, including near, distance, pinhole, or dynamic visual acuity, using appropriate tests.
    • Collect ophthalmic measurements or other diagnostic information, using ultrasound equipment, such as A-scan ultrasound biometry or B-scan ultrasonography equipment.
    • Measure corneal curvature with keratometers or ophthalmometers to aid in the diagnosis of conditions, such as astigmatism.
    • Supervise or instruct ophthalmic staff.
    • Photograph patients' eye areas, using clinical photography techniques, to document retinal or corneal defects.
    • Perform fluorescein angiography of the eye.
    • Perform slit lamp biomicroscopy procedures to diagnose disorders of the eye, such as retinitis, presbyopia, cataracts, or retinal detachment.
    • Educate patients on ophthalmic medical procedures, conditions of the eye, and appropriate use of medications.
    • Administer topical ophthalmic or oral medications.
    • Assess refractive condition of eyes, using retinoscope.
    • Clean or sterilize ophthalmic or surgical instruments.
    • Clean or sterilize ophthalmic or surgical instruments.
    • Conduct visual field tests to measure field of vision.
    • Assess abnormalities of color vision, such as amblyopia.
    • Conduct low vision blindness tests.
    • Create three-dimensional images of the eye, using computed tomography (CT).
    • Call patients to inquire about their post-operative status or recovery.
    • Measure the thickness of the retinal nerve, using scanning laser polarimetry techniques to aid in diagnosis of glaucoma.
    • Perform ophthalmic triage, in the office or by phone, to assess severity of patients' conditions.
    • Conduct tonometry or tonography tests to measure intraocular pressure.
    • Measure and record lens power, using lensometers.
    • Measure corneal thickness, using pachymeter or contact ultrasound methods.
    • Maintain ophthalmic instruments or equipment.
    • Conduct tests, such as the Amsler Grid test, to measure central visual field used in the early diagnosis of macular degeneration, glaucoma, or diseases of the eye.
    • Assist physicians in performing ophthalmic procedures, including surgery.
    • Conduct binocular disparity tests to assess depth perception.
    • Instruct patients in the care and use of contact lenses.
    • Perform advanced ophthalmic procedures, including electrophysiological, electrophysical, or microbial procedures.
    • Create three-dimensional images of the eye, using computed tomography (CT).
    • Take and document patients' medical histories.
    • Calculate corrections for refractive errors.
    • Assess refractive condition of eyes, using retinoscope.
    • Take and document patients' medical histories.
    • Measure and record lens power, using lensometers.
    • Perform advanced ophthalmic procedures, including electrophysiological, electrophysical, or microbial procedures.
    • Take anatomical or functional ocular measurements, such as axial length measurements, of the eye or surrounding tissue.

    Skills

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    • Equipment Selection

      Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    • Critical Thinking

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    • Operations Analysis

      Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    5
    Workplace Documents
    4
    Graphic Literacy
    4

    Abilities

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Response Orientation

      Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Rate Control

      Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Auditory Attention

      Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

    Knowledge

    • Economics and Accounting

      Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    • Personnel and Human Resources

      Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    • Customer and Personal Service

      Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    • Fine Arts

      Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    • Philosophy and Theology

      Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

    • Mechanical

      Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    • Administration and Management

      Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    • Administrative

      Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

    • Mathematics

      Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    • Engineering and Technology

      Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

    • Production and Processing

      Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    • Psychology

      Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    • Transportation

      Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

    • Building and Construction

      Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

    • Geography

      Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

    • Foreign Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

    • Computers and Electronics

      Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    • Medicine and Dentistry

      Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    • Telecommunications

      Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    • Therapy and Counseling

      Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    • Communications and Media

      Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    • English Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

    • Sales and Marketing

      Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    • Education and Training

      Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • Public Safety and Security

      Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    • Design

      Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    • Physics

      Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

    • Chemistry

      Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

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    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 46730/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 22.47/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 8,170
    • Yearly Projected Openings 550

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Dependability
    • Attention to Detail
    • Cooperation
    • Integrity
    • Concern for Others
    • Self Control

    Tools

    • Binocular vision test sets
    • Chart projectors
    • Corneal cameras
    • Corneal topographers
    • Depth perception apparatus
    • Electroretinogram systems
    • Exophthalmometers
    • Eye charts or vision cards
    • Eye occluders
    • Keratometers
    • Laser fax machine
    • Lid plates for ophthalmic surgery
    • Medical computed tomography CT or CAT scanners or tubes
    • Medical syringes with needle
    • Mercury blood pressure units
    • Ophthalmic lensometers
    • Ophthalmic perimeters
    • Ophthalmic retinoscopes
    • Ophthalmic slit lamps
    • Ophthalmic spectrophotometers
    • Ophthalmic tonometers
    • Ophthalmic transilluminators
    • Ophthalmic visual function analyzers
    • Ophthalmoscopes or otoscopes or scope sets
    • Opticians tools
    • Personal computers
    • Phoropter units
    • Photo attachments for microscopes
    • Steam autoclaves or sterilizers
    • Tangent screen test objects kits
    • Thickness measuring devices
    • Ultrasonic examination equipment
    • Vision testing stereoscopes

    Technology

    • Computer aided design CAD software
    • Electronic mail software
    • Enterprise resource planning ERP software
    • Internet browser software
    • Medical software
    • Office suite software
    • Operating system software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Web platform development software
    • Word processing software

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