Staff role
Ophthalmic Medical Tech
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.
O*NET reports this occupation under titles such as: Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technician (Certified Ophthalmic Medical Tech); Certified Ophthalmic Surgical Assistant; Certified Ophthalmic Technician (COT); Certified Ophthalmic Technician-Surgical Assistant (COT-SA); Health Technician (Health Tech); Ophthalmic Assistant; Ophthalmic Diagnostic Sonographer; Ophthalmic Medical Assistant; Ophthalmic Medical Technician (Ophthalmic Medical Tech); Ophthalmic Tech (Ophthalmic Technician)
Tasks
- Take and document patients' medical histories.
- Conduct tonometry or tonography tests to measure intraocular pressure.
- Operate ophthalmic equipment, such as autorefractors, phoropters, tomographs, or retinoscopes.
- 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.
- Measure and record lens power, using lensometers.
- Administer topical ophthalmic or oral medications.
- Conduct visual field tests to measure field of vision.
- Assist physicians in performing ophthalmic procedures, including surgery.
- Measure corneal curvature with keratometers or ophthalmometers to aid in the diagnosis of conditions, such as astigmatism.
- Conduct ocular motility tests to measure function of eye muscles.
- Clean or sterilize ophthalmic or surgical instruments.
- Maintain ophthalmic instruments or equipment.
- Instruct patients in the care and use of contact lenses.
- Assess refractive conditions of eyes, using retinoscopes.
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- Medicine and Dentistry
- English Language
- Mathematics
Skills
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
Abilities
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Near Vision
- Speech Clarity
- Written Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
- Written Comprehension
- Deductive Reasoning
- Selective Attention
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Finger Dexterity
- Speech Recognition
- Inductive Reasoning
- Information Ordering
- Category Flexibility
- Far Vision
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.