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Date: 06/30/2025

Ophthalmic Medical Technicians

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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    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Conduct tonometry or tonography tests to measure intraocular pressure.
    • Take and document patients' medical histories.
    • Assist patients to select eyewear.
    • Maintain ophthalmic instruments or equipment.
    • 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.
    • Clean or sterilize ophthalmic or surgical instruments.
    • Assess refractive conditions of eyes, using retinoscopes.
    • Assess refractive conditions of eyes, using retinoscopes.
    • Adjust or make minor repairs to spectacles or eyeglasses.
    • Measure corneal curvature with keratometers or ophthalmometers to aid in the diagnosis of conditions, such as astigmatism.
    • Assist patients to insert or remove contact lenses.
    • Conduct binocular disparity tests to assess depth perception.
    • Measure and record lens power, using lensometers.
    • Instruct patients in the care and use of contact lenses.
    • Call patients to inquire about their post-operative status or recovery.
    • Conduct visual field tests to measure field of vision.
    • Take and document patients' medical histories.
    • Administer topical ophthalmic or oral medications.
    • Measure and record lens power, using lensometers.
    • Conduct ocular motility tests to measure function of eye muscles.
    • Clean or sterilize ophthalmic or surgical instruments.
    • Assist physicians in performing ophthalmic procedures, including surgery.
    • Operate ophthalmic equipment, such as autorefractors, phoropters, tomographs, or retinoscopes.

    Skills

    • Equipment Selection

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

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Troubleshooting

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

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Learning Strategies

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

    • Critical Thinking

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

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Active Listening

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

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    • Complex Problem Solving

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

    • Monitoring

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

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    • Coordination

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

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • Operations Monitoring

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

    • Systems Analysis

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

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Systems Evaluation

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

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

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

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Operations Analysis

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

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    5
    Workplace Documents
    4
    Graphic Literacy
    4

    Abilities

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Depth Perception

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

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Extent Flexibility

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

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Reaction Time

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

    • Glare Sensitivity

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

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

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

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Control Precision

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

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Inductive Reasoning

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

    • Rate Control

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

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Auditory Attention

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

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

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

    • Perceptual Speed

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

    • Multilimb Coordination

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

    • Response Orientation

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

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Visualization

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

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Gross Body Coordination

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

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    Knowledge

    • Transportation

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

    • History and Archeology

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

    • 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.

    • Design

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

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

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

    • Mathematics

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

    • 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.

    • Mechanical

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

    • Production and Processing

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

    • Computers and Electronics

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

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • Telecommunications

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

    • Biology

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

    • Food Production

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

    • 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.

    • Fine Arts

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

    • 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.

    • Economics and Accounting

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

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • English Language

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

    • Law and Government

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

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    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 39220/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 18.86/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 3,390
    • Yearly Projected Openings 370

    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:
    • Integrity
    • Self Control
    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Concern for Others
    • Cooperation

    Tools

    • Binocular vision test sets
    • Chart projectors
    • Corneal topographers
    • Depth perception apparatus
    • Exophthalmometers
    • Eye charts or vision cards
    • Eye occluders
    • Interferometers
    • 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 prisms
    • 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

    • Electronic mail software
    • Internet browser software
    • Medical software
    • Office suite software
    • Presentation software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Word processing software

    Tags

    • Apprenticeships are available for this occupation. These programs can help you get hands-on experience and build your skills.

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