Ophthalmic Technician Career Guide

If science was one of your favorite subjects in school, a career as an ophthalmic technician may be what you?re looking for. An ophthalmic technician helps ophthalmologists, or eye doctors, with identifying and treating any eye illnesses or conditions. Most ophthalmic technicians work in a vision care clinic, an ophthalmologist?s private practice, or a hospital.

To become an ophthalmic technician, you will need to have a high school diploma and a degree from a vocational school or community college. While every state is different in their ophthalmic technician requirements, you will most likely need to study anatomy, physiology, mathematics, optics, and ocular pharmacology.

A typical day in the life of an ophthalmic technician may include examining the eyes and cornea of patients, as well as measuring and testing vision, acuity, and color perception. Working with patients on a daily basis requires effective communication and interpersonal skills. Moreover, ophthalmic technicians work closely with one or more ophthalmologists depending on the size of the practice.

The employment outlook for ophthalmic technicians is positive. Many people are attracted to this line of work because of the flexible schedules vision clinics and hospitals can offer. To catch a glimpse of a day in the life of an ophthalmic technician, be sure to look at our real-world career profiles below. Perhaps a closer look at this career profile will be the inspiration you need.