Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Career, Salary and Skills
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $45,570 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 71,010. Wage data is published for 288 locations.
Occupation description
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 code
29-2057.00
Job zone
3
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$45,570
Hourly median
$21.91
Employment
71,010
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.62 | 3.75 |
| Speaking | 3.25 | 3.62 |
| Writing | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Service Orientation | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.12 | 3.62 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Monitoring | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Active Learning | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Coordination | 3.00 | 3.00 |
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Take and document patients' medical histories.
Technology
- AcuityPro
- Email software
- EyeMD EMR Healthcare Systems EyeMD EMR
- ezChartWriter
- iChartPlus
- Medflow Complete
- MediPro Medisoft Clinical
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- NaviNet Open
- Web browser software
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Salary in FLMedian $46,830 · Employment 7,020
- Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Salary in TXMedian $43,640 · Employment 6,540
- Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Salary in New York, NYMedian $55,100 · Employment 5,670
- Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Salary in NYMedian $48,440 · Employment 4,250
- Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Salary in NJMedian $49,050 · Employment 4,150
- Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Salary in ILMedian $47,100 · Employment 3,250
- Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Salary in PAMedian $45,050 · Employment 2,890
- Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Salary in GAMedian $39,150 · Employment 2,570
- Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Salary in OHMedian $40,350 · Employment 2,510
- Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Salary in CAMedian $54,490 · Employment 2,500
- Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Salary in Chicago, ILMedian $50,010 · Employment 2,390
- Ophthalmic Medical Technicians Salary in MAMedian $49,750 · Employment 2,330
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Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.