Employers

Ophthalmic medical technologists work in the offices of ophthalmologists. They may work in private or small-group practices, health care centers, or hospitals. There are approximately 125,270 health technologists and technicians in general employed in the United States, according to the Department of Labor. They work in general medical and surgical hospitals, outpatient care centers, physicians' offices, federal organizations, and the offices of other health practitioners.

Starting Out

Many technologists get their start by first working as ophthalmic medical assistants. After several years in this role, they may become ophthalmic medical technicians, and eventually technologists. They find job listings through their school's career services office and also by searching job listings online, such as through Local Eye Site (https://go.localeyesite.com), and through professional associations and sites such as Indeed, LinkedIn, and SimplyHired, to name only a few.

Ophthalmic medical technologists advance by honing their skills and knowledge. They continue their education throughout their careers by taking classes offered by professional associations. They advance by getting certified as ophthalmic medical technologists. Those with the required work experience and education may advance by getting certified as ophthalmic surgical assistants. Technologists with an associate's degree may go back to school for a bachelor's degree. Those that work in large medical practices or hospitals may become senior technologists or department heads, hiring and overseeing the work of other technologists.

Get a part-time or summer job in an ophthalmologist's office to learn more about what the day-to-day tasks are and if this field is a good fit for you. Ask your school's career services office for help finding job listings.

Find education programs, recommended books, and other helpful resources for ophthalmic professionals by visiting this Web site: https://www.jcahpo.org/educational-tools-and-resources.

Get involved in a professional association to meet people working in the ophthalmic technology field and learn about career opportunities. Find information about upcoming meetings and networking events on the Web site of the Association of Technical Personnel in Ophthalmology, https://www.atpo.org.

Keep up with the latest developments and news in ophthalmology by reading articles on the American Academy of Ophthalmology's Web site at https://www.aaojournal.org.