Optometric Technician Career & Jobs: Training, Salary & Certification Requirements

Being able to correct failing vision with eye glasses and contact lenses is one of the great developments of modern health science. Where age or other circumstances used to leave people with near sightedness or far sightedness that would make it difficult for them to read, operate a car, or see notes on a blackboard, now corrective lenses are available to restore their sight just by donning a pair of eye glasses or putting in some contact lenses. When people visit the eye doctor, the first person they usually interact with is the optometric technician. This professional is trained to prepare the patients for their examination with the optometrist. They are responsible for performing preliminary eye tests and gathering information about the patient’s medical history that is helpful for the doctor as he performs his examination.

Salary Outlook

Average Annual Salary
$27,200
Salary Range
$19,400 - $33,900

Work Environment

Because they hold a position that is meant to assist the optometrist, it is most common for optometric technicians to work in a private optometry practice or in a retail location that offers eye care services. This is typically an hourly position and made be held on a full or part time basis.

High School Preparation

Those individuals who think they might enjoy a career as an optometric technician are advised to spend their high school career focusing on science, human health and customer service duties. Supporting courses for this line of work include biology, computer skills, general clerical work, and social studies. It can also be helpful to receive training in medical assisting if available.

Requirements

After receiving their high school diploma, aspiring optometric technicians will need to enroll in an accredited training course for medical assisting or optometric technology. If these courses are not available or not convenient for the student, there are some employers that will conduct on the job training with no prior experience. These employers are typically chain retail optometry stores. It is recommended that when the college program or training period is over, the student takes the certification exam that is offered by the National Council on Paraoptometric Certification.

Career Outlook

As more people are seeking out more affordable eye care options, the popularity of discount, retail eye care stores is increasing. This means that experts predict that the number of jobs for trained optometric technicians will grow by about twenty percent in the next few years. As the elderly population continues to increase in this country, it will lead to a larger demand for quality eye care, and optometric technicians will need to be hired to fill the demand.

Professional Organizations

Opticians Association of America
411 Carlisle Dr.
Herndon, Virginia 20170
Phone: (703) 437-8780
www.oaa.org