Take the patient's eye history
Ask a patient about changes in their sight and past health, then type the answers into their chart.
Career profile
Ophthalmic Technician
Ophthalmic technicians test vision, run eye exams and gather details for the eye doctor's exam.
Delicate instruments and face-to-face conversation trade places all day. A good reading starts with a patient who understands the test.
A day in the life
Run the vision chart test
Have the patient read the chart with and without glasses, then record their near and distance results.
Take an eye pressure reading
Use a tonometer to measure pressure inside the eye, then log the number for the ophthalmologist.
Scan the retina up close
In retina clinics, you take detailed optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans of tissue lining the eye's back.
Quick facts
Workplace training or a certificate program
United States
$45,570 a year
United States · May 2025
21.4% projected growth
United States · 2025–2035
Quick orientation
Preparation, pay & outlook
Preparation
Workplace training or a certificate programYou can build qualifying experience while studying or complete an accredited ophthalmic technician program.
Pay
$45,570 a yearNational median for ophthalmic medical technicians, equivalent to $21.91 an hour.
Outlook
21.4% projected growthAbout 11,800 openings a year are projected nationally, including replacement openings.
Fit, tradeoffs & changing tools
You might like this if…
- You enjoy explaining a procedure to someone who has never done it.
- You like adjusting instruments and recording precise results.
- You can stay attentive through a familiar sequence of tests.
Things to weigh
- You work close to patients and may encounter infections.
- Repeated tests and a busy appointment schedule can make the day physically repetitive and rushed.
Where AI may help
Some software analyzes retinal photographs for signs of diabetic eye disease. These artificial intelligence tools handle a specific screening task.
What people still lead
You still explain tests, collect patient information and help produce the images the eye-care team uses.
What we can’t predict yet
Prescription devices can now capture eye scans at home. How much routine imaging shifts out of clinics—and how that changes technicians' work—remains uncertain.
Pay in context
Earnings
Use the national median as a reference point when comparing offers; it is not a starting salary.
National midpoint
The May 2025 median was $45,570 a year, or $21.91 an hour. Half of workers earned less and half earned more.
The national spread
In May 2025, the 10th-percentile annual wage was $35,700 and the 90th-percentile wage was $61,940. These are wage percentiles, not starting and senior salaries.
Workplace matters
May 2023 annual averages were $56,450 in general medical and surgical hospitals and $46,020 in physicians' offices. These historical averages do not guarantee a raise from changing settings.
Openings ahead
National employment is projected to grow 21.4% from 2025 to 2035, with about 11,800 openings annually. Openings include replacing workers who leave the occupation.
Getting started
Build experience in an eye clinic
- What the route involves
- Seek a role that provides training. The Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) work-experience route requires a high school diploma or equivalent, an approved independent study course and 1,000 employment hours under an ophthalmologist within the 12 months before applying.
- What it can lead to
- Meeting those requirements makes you eligible to apply for the COA examination. Passing earns the entry-level certification.
- What to check
- If your study course is more than 36 months old, additional study or continuing education requirements apply.
Complete an accredited technician program
- What the route involves
- Combine classroom lessons with clinical rotations. Duke's program takes one full-time year; applicants need a high school diploma and must be 18 when clinical rotations begin.
- What it can lead to
- Graduating from an accredited technician-level program can qualify you for Certified Ophthalmic Technician (COT) testing without additional employment. Earning COT requires passing a multiple-choice exam and a skill evaluation.
- What to check
- Graduates applying more than 12 months after completion must also meet continuing education requirements.
Two routes combine eye-care practice with study. Certification eligibility comes before taking the exams.
After entry
Career paths
This starts where the entry routes leave off: early work, growing capability, and advancement or specialization. This path also has a credential or licensing boundary; see the requirements and limits.
Get dependable at the basics
Build a consistent routine for vision testing and charting so the ophthalmologist can use your results without missing information.
Build toward technician certification
If you entered as a COA, one COT route requires 2,000 hours as a COA within 24 months and 12 approved continuing education credits within 12 months. Keep your COA current and pass both COT assessments.
Specialize or lead
Develop deeper retinal imaging skills, or pursue a team-lead position as your experience grows.
Where you can work
Outpatient eye center
A broad mix of vision tests comes with keeping appointments moving and coordinating further tests or surgery. Some centers offer weekday daytime schedules.
- Indoors
- Office
Retina specialty practice
More of your work centers on detailed retinal images and preparing patients for in-office injections or laser procedures. You become familiar with a narrower set of eye conditions and equipment.
- Indoors
- Office
Try it
See whether the job clicks before you commit to the path.
Make a page of letters in different sizes. Ask a friend to read selected lines aloud while you explain the task and record exactly what they say. Notice whether you enjoy giving clear instructions while keeping an accurate record.
Stay safe: This is a communication exercise, not a vision test; do not score eyesight or draw health conclusions.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational projections and worker characteristics, 2025–35. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- O*NET OnLine. 29-2057.00 — Ophthalmic Medical Technicians. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. May 2023 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates: Ophthalmic Medical Technicians. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- International Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology. Certified Ophthalmic Assistant. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- International Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology. Certified Ophthalmic Technician. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- International Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology. Certification & Education: Scope of Allied Ophthalmic Personnel. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Duke Department of Ophthalmology. Ophthalmic Technician Program. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Duke Department of Ophthalmology. Ophthalmic Technician Program Curriculum. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Duke Health. Ophthalmic Technician, Certified — Mebane. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Retina Associates of Western NY. Ophthalmic Technician Job Description. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- Duke Department of Ophthalmology. New Video Highlights Duke OpTech Program. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Product Classification: Diabetic Retinopathy Detection Device. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Product Classification: Home Monitoring Ophthalmic Imaging Device. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions. Instillation of Eye Drops. Accessed 2026-10-03.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, national estimates. Accessed 2026-09-29.