CareerGPS

Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists
Summary Occupational Forecast Data for Occupational Therapists
Employment Employment Change Average Annual Job Openings Wage & Training Levels
2020 2025 Numerical Percent New Jobs Replacement Jobs Total Median Hourly Median Annual Training Levels
997 1,109 112 11.23% 22 69 91 $51.46 $107,043 Master's degree
Description: Provide therapy to patients with visual impairments to improve their functioning in daily life activities. May train patients in activities such as computer use, communication skills, or home management skills.
Forecast Data Source: EMSI (4th Quarter 2023)

Occupation Details

The information in this section represents occupational characteristics included in O*NET which defines key features of an occupation as a standardized, measurable set of variables called "descriptors". These distinguishing characteristics of an occupation are described in greater detail in the O*NET Content Model. All items are listed in descending order of importance.

  • Teach cane skills including cane use with a guide, diagonal techniques, and two-point touches.
  • Refer clients to services, such as eye care, health care, rehabilitation, and counseling, to enhance visual and life functioning or when condition exceeds scope of practice.
  • Provide consultation, support, or education to groups such as parents and teachers.
  • Participate in professional development activities such as reading literature, continuing education, attending conferences, and collaborating with colleagues.
  • Obtain, distribute, or maintain low vision devices.
  • Design instructional programs to improve communication using devices such as slates and styluses, braillers, keyboards, adaptive handwriting devices, talking book machines, digital books, and optical character readers (OCRs).
  • Collaborate with specialists, such as rehabilitation counselors, speech pathologists, and occupational therapists, to provide client solutions.
  • Administer tests and interpret test results to develop rehabilitation plans for clients.
  • Teach clients to travel independently using a variety of actual or simulated travel situations or exercises.
  • Train clients to use tactile, auditory, kinesthetic, olfactory, and propioceptive information.
  • Train clients to use adaptive equipment such as large print, reading stands, lamps, writing implements, software, and electronic devices.
  • Monitor clients' progress to determine whether changes in rehabilitation plans are needed.
  • Write reports or complete forms to document assessments, training, progress, or follow-up outcomes.
  • Develop rehabilitation or instructional plans collaboratively with clients, based on results of assessments, needs, and goals.
  • Assess clients' functioning in areas such as vision, orientation and mobility skills, social and emotional issues, cognition, physical abilities, and personal goals.
  • Train clients with visual impairments to use mobility devices or systems such as human guides, dog guides, electronic travel aids (ETAs), and other adaptive mobility devices (AMDs).
  • Identify visual impairments related to basic life skills in areas such as self-care, literacy, communication, health management, home management, and meal preparation.
  • Teach independent living skills or techniques such as adaptive eating, medication management, diabetes management, and personal management.
  • Recommend appropriate mobility devices or systems such as human guides, dog guides, long canes, electronic travel aids (ETAs), and other adaptive mobility devices (AMDs).

Knowledge

82%
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.
68%
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.
62%
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
57%
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.
53%
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.
50%
Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

Skills

75%
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
69%
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
69%
Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
69%
Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
65%
Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
65%
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
65%
Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
65%
Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
62%
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
62%
Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
62%
Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
60%
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
56%
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
53%
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
53%
Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
50%
Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
50%
Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

Abilities

81%
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
78%
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
75%
Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
72%
Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
69%
Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
65%
Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
65%
Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
62%
Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
60%
Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
60%
Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
60%
Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
56%
Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
56%
Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
53%
Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
50%
Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.

Work Activities

84%
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
81%
Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
78%
Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
77%
Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
77%
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
76%
Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
75%
Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
74%
Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
71%
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
67%
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
67%
Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
67%
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
67%
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
62%
Provide Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
62%
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
59%
Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
58%
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
57%
Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
56%
Interacting With Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
55%
Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
55%
Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
54%
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
51%
Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
Title Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Overall Experience Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Job Training Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Job Zone Examples These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include librarians, lawyers, aerospace engineers, wildlife biologists, school psychologists, surgeons, treasurers, and controllers.
Education Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Interests

Social - Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outsi
Artistic - Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Enterprising - Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Work Styles

Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Self Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.

Work Values

Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.