CareerGPS

Ophthalmic Medical Technologists and Technicians
Summary Occupational Forecast Data for Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other
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
1,482 1,751 269 18.18% 54 129 183 $26.79 $55,728 Postsecondary nondegree award
Description: Conduct diagnostic tests such as central and peripheral visual field, ocular motility, color vision, or pharmacological pupil tests; or tonometry, tonography and tensilon tonography tests to determine intraocular pressure and pupil testing for size, equality and reaction prior to dilation.
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.

  • Administer diagnostic tests such as central and peripheral visual field tests, ocular motility tests, color vision tests, and pharmacological pupil tests.
  • Conduct tonometry or tonography tests to determine intraocular pressure.
  • Administer topical ophthalmic or oral medications.
  • Assist physicians in performing ophthalmic procedures.
  • Maintain ophthalmic instruments or equipment.
  • Measure and record lens power using lensometers.
  • Measure distance and near visual acuity using appropriate tests.
  • Operate ophthalmic equipment such as autorefractors, phoropters, tomographs, and retinoscopes.
  • Perform refractometric procedures to determine subjective refractive errors or vertex distances.
  • Collect ophthalmic information using ultrasound equipment.
  • Document patients' medical histories.

Knowledge

75%
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.
75%
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.
71%
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
63%
Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
50%
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.

Skills

65%
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.
65%
Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
62%
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
62%
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
60%
Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
56%
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
56%
Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
56%
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
53%
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
50%
Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.

Abilities

75%
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
75%
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
65%
Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
65%
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.
62%
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).
60%
Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
60%
Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
60%
Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
60%
Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
56%
Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
56%
Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
53%
Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
53%
Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
53%
Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
53%
Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
50%
Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
50%
Time Sharing - The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
50%
Visual Color Discrimination - The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
50%
Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

Work Activities

88%
Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
88%
Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
85%
Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
85%
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.
72%
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
72%
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
70%
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
65%
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
64%
Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
63%
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
62%
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
61%
Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
60%
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
59%
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
54%
Interacting With Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
53%
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Title Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Overall Experience Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Job Training Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Job Zone Examples These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include food service managers, electricians, agricultural technicians, legal secretaries, interviewers, and insurance sales agents.
Education Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Interests

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
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.

Work Styles

Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
Self Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

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.
Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.