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.
National median · BLS
$45,570
▲ +3.38%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$47,060
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
71,010
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.
Pay range for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$35,700
25th
$38,170
Median (50th)
$45,570
75th
$51,390
90th — top pay
$61,940
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians
BLS projects employment of ophthalmic medical technicians to grow 21.4% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 11,800 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
72,500 → 88,000
+15,500 jobs
Projected change
+21.4%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
11,800
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award
No related experience required
Self-employed
0.4% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians salaries by state
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians
How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.
Top skills
Active Listening3.6
Speaking3.3
Reading Comprehension3.1
Service Orientation3.1
Social Perceptiveness3.1
Writing3.1
Active Learning3.0
Coordination3.0
Critical Thinking3.0
Monitoring3.0
Top knowledge areas
Customer and Personal Service4.3
Medicine and Dentistry4.2
English Language4.0
Mathematics3.3
Administrative2.9
Education and Training2.8
Computers and Electronics2.7
Psychology2.6
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordAcuityProEmail softwareEyeMD EMR Healthcare Systems EyeMD EMRezChartWriteriChartPlusMedflow CompleteMediPro Medisoft ClinicalNaviNet OpenWeb browser software
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: 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.
About the job
What ophthalmic medical technicians do
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.
Also called
Certified Ophthalmic Surgical AssistantCertified Ophthalmic Technician (COT)Ophthalmic AssistantOphthalmic Tech (Ophthalmic Technician)Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technician (Certified Ophthalmic Medical Tech)Certified Ophthalmic Technician-Surgical Assistant (COT-SA)Health Technician (Health Tech)Ophthalmic Diagnostic SonographerOphthalmic Medical AssistantOphthalmic Medical Technician (Ophthalmic Medical Tech)
More job titles for this occupation (14)
Certified Retinal AngiographerEyecare AdvisorMedical Technician (Medical Tech)Ocular Care Technician (Ocular Care Tech)Ocular Care TechnologistOphthalmic AideOphthalmic ScribeOphthalmology AssistantOphthalmology Technician (Ophthalmology Tech)Optical Technician (Optical Tech)Optometric AssistantOptometric Technician (Optometric Tech)ParaoptometricRetinal Angiographer
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Ophthalmic Medical Technicians, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $45,570.
