Healthcare · SOC 29-2099.05
AI retinal imaging tools are FDA-cleared and advancing, but ophthalmic surgical assist and invasive procedures remain hands-on.
Parts of the job are exposed, but judgment and context still matter.
Timeline: AI diabetic retinopathy screening is already displacing some diagnostic photography tasks; techs who specialize in surgical assistance and advanced interventional procedures will remain in strong demand through 2035.
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$98,340 median pay
Healthcare
Healthcare
$97,020 median pay
$300,000 median pay
$58,160 median pay
AI job-risk card
Ophthalmic Medical Technologists is watch on AIFear. Parts of the job are exposed, but judgment and context still matter.
AIFear.com
Our AI Fear Score for Ophthalmic Medical Technologists is 42/100 (Watch). Parts of the job are exposed, but judgment and context still matter.
42 out of 100, based on an AI-model review of this occupation's O*NET tasks against what current AI can actually do.
Most exposed: Documenting patients' medical histories and entering data, Measuring and recording lens power using lensometers, Calculating refractive error corrections from standard data, Photographing retinal and corneal conditions for records. Harder to automate: Administering topical and oral ophthalmic medications, Performing fluorescein angiography of the eye, Assisting physicians directly during ophthalmic surgery, Sterilizing and maintaining surgical instruments.
Lean into Advanced ophthalmic imaging, Ophthalmic surgical assistance, AI-assisted diagnostic screening, Clinical EMR and documentation. Consider roles such as Certified ophthalmic medical technologist (COMT) or Retinal angiography specialist or Ophthalmic surgical coordinator.
Tasks, skills and AI-exposure for this role were reviewed by an AI model against its O*NET task profile (curated roles use published research anchors). Pay and employment, where shown, are U.S. BLS OEWS (May 2024) figures. This is an estimate, not a prediction about any individual's job. Compare all occupations.