Job Description: Ophthalmic technicians are trained and qualified professionals who assist ophthalmologists in order to diagnose and treat patients. Ophthalmic technicians do not have any independent practices, meaning they only work for ophthalmologists and cannot open their own practice.
Ophthalmic technicians perform many diagnostic and therapeutic procedures that are standard in ophthalmology. Depending on the person?s experience and qualifications, their duties can include:
- Taking the patient?s medical history
- Running diagnostic tests
- Taking measurements of the patient?s eyes, testing vision, visual fields, and sensory-motor function
- Prescribing topical medications
- Teaching the patient how to properly care for and use contact lenses
- Caring for and maintaining optical instruments and equipment
- Helping the ophthalmologist perform eye surgery (can be done in the ophthalmologist?s office or in the hospital)
- Performing ocular electro-neurological procedures
- Helping to fit contact lenses
- Fitting, adjusting, and making simple repairs on glasses
- Giving eye drops to patients
Ophthalmic technicians are highly trained so that they can perform a large range of tasks that are required in order to continuously help the ophthalmologist. Ophthalmic technicians are qualified to do everything that ophthalmic assistants do, however, they can do these things in more detail, and can also do other more complex tasks.
Potential Work Locations:
- Hospitals
- Doctor?s Offices
- Ophthalmologist?s Offices
- Eye Clinics
- Health Care Centres
Educational Background: There are more than 30 programs for ophthalmic technicians in Canada, the US, and India. These programs are done at universities, colleges, an...
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...anced their quality of life.
r This job can be stressful, considering that you are responsible for your patients? eyesight.
r Ophthalmic technicians are on their feet most of the day.
r You will most likely have to deal with difficult and uncooperative patients on a daily basis.
Current Employment Trends: The job outlook for ophthalmic technicians is extremely good, and is expected to increase over time. There are currently more positions available than there are applicants to fill them. There is a continuing demand for ophthalmic care due to the growing elderly population, and therefore a greater demand for ophthalmic technicians.
Other Related Careers:
- Optometrist
- Optician
- Ophthalmologist
- Orientation and mobility specialist for the blind/visually impaired
- Orthoptist
- Eye specialist
- Neuro-ophthalmologist
- Oculoplastics and orbit surgeon
Surgical Technologist are allied health professionals, who are an integral part of the team of medical practitioners providing surgical care to patients in variety of methods. Surgical technologist works under medical supervision of a surgeon to maintain a safe and effective conduct of surgical procedures in the operating room, making sure equipments function properly, and that the operative procedure is conducted under conditions that maximize patients safety.
...Overall, this is an interesting career and if someone would like to enter the healthcare field, without doing the on hands patient care, this a good path to follow.
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Most states require licensing. This requires, graduating from an accredited program, completing field work, and taking and passing the, “National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy,” also known as NBCOT. After passing this exam the current job title would be, “Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant.” There are also special certifications to become specialized in low vision, eating, feeding, or swallowing. Specializing in one of these areas would show advanced skills that other OTA’s may not have. (Occupational, 2017)
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Everyday life in a hospital is complete and absolute chaos. There are doctors and nurses running everywhere to treat patients, ambulances coming through every so often, children and patients crying, and surgeons telling a family that their loved one did not make it. However, outside of all that craziness is an operating room (OR). A place filled with pressure, intensity, high hopes, and stress. There to help control the environment is a surgical technologist. While preparing patients for surgery, surgical technologists manage the equipment and operating room, follow the instructions of the surgeon, and ensure the safety of the patient.
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A surgical technologist is an adventurous, inspiring, and active job to have, working under the bright lights, wearing masks, strong suction, sharp, shiny tools and most importantly seeing opened life on the operating table with many adventures to come in the operating room.
My interest into becoming an optometrist had begun when I was in high school; it happened in an unconventional way. It was not through watching videos, or someone explaining to me what optometry was, but rather, seeing the power of it firsthand. There was a point in my life where I felt emotions that I was unable to comprehend at the time. Seeing a family member on an operating table was the most petrifying moment that I have gone through, especially when the person on the table was my father. My father had to get a chalazion removed from his right eyelid. The doctor told my family that my father would be susceptible to certain health risks because of his diabetes and the severity of his cyst. This procedure was the hardest thing I have had to deal with in my life because it made me feel helpless. Usually, when my dad needs help he always asks me, but this time I could not do anything. It is interesting to think that something so small had such a big affect on my life.
... a patient down when they are scared. I know this career will not always be an easy one because you will come across some patients that can be combative, grumpy or scared and being able to learn how to communicate with them will make the process more smoothly. There will come a time when you come across a patient that will pull at your heart, as hard as it is I will have to keep my emotions in control but not so much so that I forget how to be gentle and caring with the patients because you may never know what their stories are.
Occupational therapists have a very challenging job description. They must be able to help patients who are disabled. Occupational Therapists work to help individuals who do not function correctly such as people with permanent disabilities, the inability to function in a work environment, and even the mentally ill (Farr 385). Optometrists also help patients who have imperfections with their bodies; but unlike occupational therapists, optometrists work to correct vision problems by prescribing eyeglasses and contact lenses. They diagnose eye diseases and perform tests to determine the best method to correct vision problems. An optometrist also performs certain surgical procedures and will even counsel patients about their vision (Occupational 278).
I am aware of the challeneges and demands that the field of optometry holds, however, I am committed to becoming an optometrist. I am quite passionate about this field, and my desire in this field has only been strengthened through my experiences. It is for these reasons that I would like to pursure a D.O.
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