Written by True Eye Experts
Optometric technicians (OTs) are skilled eye care professionals that assist an optometrist, otherwise known as an eye doctor.
If you’re interested in a medical career but would prefer not to spend an extensive amount of time and money on medical school, becoming an ophthalmic technician is a rewarding career with training opportunities open to anyone with a high school diploma or GED.
In this blog, we discuss what an optometric technician does, how to become one, and how they differ from an ophthalmic assistant or technologist.
An optometric technician’s main responsibility is to assist an eye doctor in providing care to patients.
Every office does things a bit differently, but typically, ophthalmic technicians assist with tasks like:
An OT is there to make sure a patient’s experience at the eye doctor is as comfortable as possible and that all of a patient’s questions are answered. OTs often work with patients of all kinds—from kids getting their first pair of glasses to seniors with a variety of eye health concerns.
An ophthalmic technician is only one of three ophthalmic-allied health professional certifications. While technicians, assistants, and technologists all assist an eye doctor, each job has different requirements and different responsibilities around the office.
Each role also has specific educational requirements—you can learn more about the required courses and how the certification process works on the AOA Website
Ophthalmic technicians assist an ophthalmologist—an eye doctor licensed to practice medicine and surgery—and is equipped to diagnose and treat any eye condition.
Optometric technicians assist an optometrist, an eye doctor who provides primary vision care, such as prescribing corrective lenses and administering eye exams.
Ophthalmic technicians share many of the same responsibilities as optometric technicians, such as answering patient questions and performing certain eye tests, but optometric technicians have different certification requirements. You can learn more about what it takes to become an ophthalmic technician on the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology Website.
In addition to optometric technicians, there are other staff members you’ll meet when you visit an optometrist’s office. Each staff member has their own special role, but all of them are there to support patients.
Here are other staff members a patient may meet in the office:
OTs must hold a high school diploma or GED—a bachelor’s degree is not typically required. There are two main ways to enter the field and become an OT, each with its own pros and cons.
Your education doesn’t stop once you start a career in eye care—True Eye Experts, we encourage our team members to continue their learning by attending seminars and conferences and staying up to date with the latest advances in eye care technology.
If you’re interested in working in the eye care field, there are plenty of rewarding career paths to choose from.
Here, at True Eye Experts, our team of optometrists and eye care staff work together to examine patients, diagnose conditions, and make treatment recommendations that best suit a patient’s needs. They also help with things like fitting patients for specialty contact lenses, helping patients choose the right eyeglasses, and make referrals to eye surgery experts.
We’re always looking for passionate people to join our optometry team at our offices in Crystal River, Lutz, North Fort Myers, New Tampa, and Trinity, Florida. If you’d like to learn more about our employment opportunities, click here to visit our Careers page.
If you’re a patient who’s ready to book a visit, click here to request an appointment. We’re always excited to see new patients!
Our mission at True Eye Experts is simple — provide the best possible care to our patients. We make sure we’re doing this a few different ways. Our V-Eye-P Exam is one of the most comprehensive eye exams in the industry. We use state-of-the-art medical technology to screen, diagnose, and treat more conditions than most other providers in the area. We have an extensive collection of designer eyewear that can complement any patient’s face, style, and budget, and our advanced contact lens fitting process can help even “hard-to-fit” patients wear contacts comfortably. Book an appointment online at one of our True Eye Experts locations, conveniently located throughout Central Florida. Have questions or prefer to book over the phone? Give us a call today.
Pink Eye (Conjunctivitis): Symptoms, Treatment & More
Tucker Vision Center Is Joining Award-Winning True Eye Experts
"I have been getting my eyes checked by Dr. Samuel Teske for years. He is very thorough and thoughtful. The staff is also very professional and attentive. Highly recommend True Eye Experts!"
Everyone at this office is very friendly, helpful, and professional, whether it's helping you buy new frames, being fitted for glasses, or just interacting at the front desk. If something is wrong with my glasses, they are quick to remedy the situation. I would highly recommend this office for all your eye care needs!"
"Dr. Randich is personable and thorough. She spends time educating her patients with warmth and genuine concern. Staff is always friendly, helpful, and quick!"
"Staff was very professional, and the eye exam used the latest technologies. Very impressed with all that was done to check my eyes. Great experience!"
I had an emergency and needed to be seen as soon as possible. They fit me in right away and got my injury addressed and on the road to recovery! The staff is so professional and caring! Everyone had a smile on their faces & was welcoming. Thank you so very much for everything! – Kristen L.