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Become an Ophthalmic Technician or Ophthalmic Technologist

Ophthalmic Technician and Ophthalmic Technologist training and careers.

As an ophthalmic technician, sometimes referred to as an ophthalmic technologist (OT), you'll assist ophthalmologists in providing medical eye care. Ophthalmologists specialize in the medical and surgical treatment of eye disorders, vision measurements for glasses, eye muscle exercises and the prevention of blindness.

Ophthalmic Technician Job Description

Your daily duties as an ophthalmic technician will likely include the following:

  • Obtaining medical histories from patients
  • Administering diagnostic tests
  • Measuring and recording vision
  • Testing eye muscle function
  • Providing contact lens education
  • Administering eye medication
  • Maintaining optical and surgical instruments

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Ophthalmic Technologist Job Description

As an ophthalmic technologist, you perform all duties performed by technicians, but you have more training and expanded responsibilities. Your additional responsibilities may include the following:

  • Assisting the ophthalmologist in surgery
  • Performing ophthalmic clinical photography and fluorescence angiography, as well as electrophysiological and microbiological procedures
  • Supervising other ophthalmic staff

Ophthalmic Technician and Technologist Salaries

According to Salary.com, the middle 50 percent of ophthalmic technicians earn between $34,595 and $45,174 per year. The top 10 percent earn $50,613 or more annually.

The American Medical Association lists the average salary for an ophthalmic technologist as $58,481, while top earners make $75,000 or more per year.

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Ophthalmic Technician and Technologist Work Environment

Ophthalmic technicians and ophthalmic technologists work in ophthalmologists' offices.

Ophthalmic Technician and Technologist Education

In addition to having your GED or high school diploma, you need to complete a CAAHEP-accredited OT program, usually a 1-year certificate or diploma for assistants and technicians or a 2-year associate degree for technologists.

Coursework generally includes the following:

  • Anatomy and physiology
  • Medical terminology
  • Medical laws and ethics
  • Psychology
  • Ocular anatomy and physiology
  • Ophthalmic optics
  • Microbiology
  • Ophthalmic pharmacology and toxicology
  • Ocular motility
  • Diseases of the eye

You'll also gain plenty of hands-on clinical experience.

Ophthalmic Technician and Technologist Certification

Regulations vary from state-to-state, however certification is highly recommended because most employers require it. The Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO) offers national certification and testing for OTs on three different levels, plus subspecialty certification:

  • Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) – entry level
  • Certified Ophthalmic Technician (COT) – intermediate level
  • Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist (COMT) – advanced level

The subspecialty of ophthalmic surgical assisting requires certification in one of the three core levels.

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Ophthalmic Tech

Did You Know?

  • Outside of the brain, our eyes are our most complex organs.
  • The average human eye contains around two million functioning parts.
  • Eating foods rich in vitamin A helps maintain good eyesight.

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