Optometrists
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
Eyes are examined with instruments and pharmaceutical agents to measure acuity, focus, and coordination and to find conditions such as glaucoma or color blindness. Test results then become the basis for a treatment plan: prescribe and fit glasses or contacts, prescribe medications where state law allows, remove foreign bodies, and give pre- and post-operative care for cataract or laser vision correction. Counseling covers contact-lens care, lighting, and eye safety; patients who need further medical treatment are referred to an ophthalmologist or other practitioner. Tends to suit people who prefer close visual examination, interpreting test results, and walking patients through care in practical terms.
Typical education: Doctoral Degree (Ph.D., Ed.D.)
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$136'570
Median Wage Market Position
$136'570
What you might do
- Examine eyes to diagnose disease and vision problems
- Read eye-test results and set a treatment plan
- Prescribe, fit, and adjust glasses or contacts
- Prescribe medicine for glaucoma and other eye disease
- Teach patients contact lens care and eye safety
- Remove foreign objects from the eye
Skills that matter
- Eye exams with instruments and drops
- Reading test results to plan treatment
- Fitting eyeglasses and contact lenses
- Explaining lens care and lighting
- Foreign-body removal from the eye
- Referring patients to ophthalmologists
AI & the future of this role
Eye exams, prescribing, and managing disease still rely on in-person assessment and licensed clinical judgment. Screening tools and imaging analysis may handle more routine checks, while complex care and patient trust are likely to hold up.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details