Healthcare · SOC 29-1241
AI flags retinal images accurately, but ophthalmic surgery, complex diagnostics, and hands-on patient care remain human.
Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
Timeline: AI diabetic retinopathy screening is already deployed; within 5 years it will expand to more conditions, shifting ophthalmologists toward surgical and complex diagnostic work they already do well.
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$79,000 median pay
$65,010 median pay
Healthcare
Healthcare
$62,340 median pay
AI job-risk card
Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric is resilient on AIFear. Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
AIFear.com
Our AI Fear Score for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric is 28/100 (Resilient). Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
28 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 and reviewing patient medical histories, Providing structured consultation reports to other physicians, Contributing to clinical research literature. Harder to automate: Performing comprehensive ophthalmic examinations, Executing surgical procedures on the eye and structures, Prescribing and managing complex pharmacologic regimens, Providing post-operative care with adaptive judgment.
Lean into Ophthalmic surgery, AI-assisted retinal image analysis, Oculoplastics, Low vision rehabilitation, Ocular oncology. Consider roles such as Vitreoretinal surgeon or Glaucoma specialist or Pediatric ophthalmologist.
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.