Orthoptists
Diagnose and treat visual system disorders.
Quick Facts
Wages: |
Median wages for the broader occupation, Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners, All Other, are
/ hour.
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Education: |
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On the Job: |
Typical Work Tasks
- Assist healthcare practitioners during examinations or treatments.
- Prepare reports summarizing patient diagnostic or care activities.
- Present medical research reports.
- Refer patients to other healthcare practitioners or health resources.
Read more about the job
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Job Title Examples: |
Certified Ophthalmic Technician
Certified Orthoptist
Clinical Orthoptist (CO)
See more job title examples
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This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
On the Job
Orthoptists work with patients who have visual disorders, such as binocular vision or abnormal eye movements. They diagnose problems using techniques such as motor testing, visual acuity testing, lensometry, retinoscopy, and color vision testing. They may refer patients to surgeons if necessary.
Typical Work Tasks
People who work in this career often:
- Assist healthcare practitioners during examinations or treatments.
- Prepare reports summarizing patient diagnostic or care activities.
- Present medical research reports.
- Refer patients to other healthcare practitioners or health resources.
- Treat chronic diseases or disorders.
- Diagnose medical conditions.
- Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.
- Conduct research to increase knowledge about medical issues.
- Explain medical procedures or test results to patients or family members.
- Analyze test data or images to inform diagnosis or treatment.
Typical Working Conditions
- Frequent contact with others.
- Working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions.
- The importance of being accurate or exact.
- Working with a group or team.
- Freedom to make decisions without supervision.
- Using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
- Exposure to disease or infections.
This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Education & Credentials
This is a new or emerging specialty. The information on this page is based on the broader career that this specialty is part of,
Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners, All Other.
Educational Requirements
Not available
Education level attained (national data)
Education Level Attained (national data)Education Level Attained | Percentage of workers in this occupation |
Less than high school diploma | 0.9 |
High school diploma or equivalent | 3.7 |
Some college, no degree | 5.4 |
Associate degree | 6 |
Bachelors degree | 18.7 |
Masters degree | 40.9 |
Doctoral (Ph.D) or professional degree | 24.4 |
Work Experience and Training Requirements
Nationally, this career typically requires:
- No related work experience for entry.
- Little or no on-the-job training to become competent.
Current Training Opportunities
Related Programs
Majors
Click on any of the Majors listed below to find out more about preparing for this
career.
Transfer Options
Enrolling in a community college can be a great place to start your four-year degree. While all 31 Minnesota State community colleges,
technical colleges and universities offer all or part of the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum
(a 40-credit package of general education courses accepted for transfer to other state colleges and universities, the University of Minnesota,
and some private colleges and universities), not all two-year colleges offer degrees intended to transfer to a four-year bachelor's degree.
If you plan to transfer to obtain a four-year bachelor's degree, it is important to know which degree path is right for you:
- Associate of Arts (AA) degrees offered at community colleges are designed to transfer into liberal arts four-year majors.
- Associate of Science (AS) and Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) degrees offered at community and technical colleges transfer into specific four-year majors and will likely require completing additional general education courses at a university.
- Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees offered at technical and community colleges are not designed to transfer. They lead to immediate entry into the workplace.
- Diplomas and certificates offered at technical colleges are not designed to transfer. They lead to immediate entry into the workplace.
Talk to a transfer specialist as early as possible to determine the best associate degree for your goals. Be sure to review your Degree Audit Report (DARS) each semester to best prepare for transfer. Get more help understanding transfer using the tools below.
Licenses
Licenses are knowledge and skill credentials that are legally required in some careers.
This occupation requires a license.
Acupuncture Practitioner
Acupuncture Registration
Unlicensed Complementary and Alternative Health Care Practitioners
Helpful High School Courses
Examples of helpful classes that help you prepare for this career:
- Anatomy
- Chemistry
- Community Health
- Computer Applications
- Human Development
- Medical Ethics
- Nutrition
- Research Methods
- Safety and First Aid/CPR
- Sociology
- Statistics
- World Languages
In Minnesota, your school may have developed a Program of Study in this career area.
A Program of Study is an academic and career plan developed by your high school to help move you towards a career
and college path. A Program of Study can help you:
- Select high school classes that prepare you for college and getting a job
- Understand how the classes you're taking in high school lead to a career
- Identify extra-curricular activities that are related to your career interest
- See what classes at your school offer early college credit that will save you time and money towards your college expenses
- Graduate from high school prepared for your next step toward the career you choose
This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Skills & Knowledge
Most Important Skills for Orthoptists
- Reading—Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Helping Others—Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Listening—Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Thinking Critically—Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Writing—Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Being Aware of Others—Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Learning New Things—Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Science—Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Solving Complex Problems—Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Speaking—Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Most Important Knowledge Areas for Orthoptists
- Education and Training—Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- English Language—Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Customer and Personal Service—Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Medicine and Dentistry—Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
- Psychology—Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
- Mathematics—Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Therapy and Counseling—Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
- Clerical—Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
- Computers and Electronics—Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Biology—Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Interests
Different careers may be a good fit for your personality or interests. This career is:
- Investigative—Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
- Social—Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Learn more about your interests. Take the MnCareers Interest Assessment.
Describe Your Skills
This is a new or emerging career specialty. Skill statements are still under development.
Careers that Use Similar Skills
The following careers use skills, knowledge, and abilities that are similar to those used for Orthoptists.
View more careers in the Health Science cluster
View more careers in the Therapeutic Services pathway
This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
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Jobs
Real-time job data provided by Gartner TalentNeuron
Job Title Examples
Certified Ophthalmic Technician,
Certified Orthoptist,
Clinical Orthoptist (CO)
Where Do Orthoptists Work?
Orthoptists often work in the following industries.
Similar Careers
Below are careers that use skill sets that are similar to Orthoptists.
Source: You can learn about our data sources in the About Us section.