Orthoptists

What the job really is

Diagnose and treat visual system disorders such as binocular vision and eye movement impairments.

At a glance

• Sector: Healthcare Practitioners
• O*NET-SOC code: 29-1299
• O*NET job zone: 5 — extensive preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Examine patients with problems related to ocular motility, binocular vision, amblyopia, or strabismus.
• Evaluate, diagnose, or treat disorders of the visual system with an emphasis on binocular vision or abnormal eye movements.
• Provide instructions to patients or family members concerning diagnoses or treatment plans.
• Perform diagnostic tests or measurements, such as motor testing, visual acuity testing, lensometry, retinoscopy, and color vision testing.
• Provide nonsurgical interventions, including corrective lenses, patches, drops, fusion exercises, or stereograms, to treat conditions such as strabismus, heterophoria, and convergence insufficiency.
• Develop nonsurgical treatment plans for patients with conditions such as strabismus, nystagmus, and other visual disorders.
• Interpret clinical or diagnostic test results.
• Develop or use special test and communication techniques to facilitate diagnosis and treatment of children or patients with disabilities.
• Provide training related to clinical methods or orthoptics to students, resident physicians, or other health professionals.
• Refer patients to ophthalmic surgeons or other physicians.
• Prepare diagnostic or treatment reports for other medical practitioners or therapists.
• Collaborate with ophthalmologists, optometrists, or other specialists in the diagnosis, treatment, or management of conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts, and retinal diseases.

Tools and technology

Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Adult trial frames, Amblyoscopes, Animated fixation targets, Bagolini lenses, Cardiff cards, Color vision testing devices, Combined vertical/horizontal prism bars, Computer Aided Vision Therapy CAVT, Computer perceptual processing software

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric
• Optometrists
• Emergency Medicine Physicians
• Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians
• Neurologists
• General Internal Medicine Physicians
• Allergists and Immunologists
• Pediatric Surgeons

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 5 (extensive preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

Browse the verified job sources directory, or explore more occupations.

Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Orthoptists — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.