Orthoptists
Diagnose and treat visual system disorders such as binocular vision and eye movement impairments.
Also called: Certified Orthoptist · Clinical Orthoptist (CO) · Orthoptist
Median pay (national)
$113,730
$65,210–$194,000 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
30,870
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+2%
~2,400 openings/yr
Typical entry
Master's degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for orthoptists shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $194,000 versus $65,210 at the bottom 10% — 3.0x. The median of $113,730 leaves roughly 71% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +2% from 2024 to 2034 — about as fast as the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 2,400 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 48 states with released data, Maryland pays the most for this role (median $160,560, +41% vs the national median), while South Carolina sits lowest at $66,950 — a 140% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Speaking as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Science
- Writing
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Monitoring
- Mathematics
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Examine patients with problems related to ocular motility, binocular vision, amblyopia, or strabismus.
- Evaluate, diagnose, or treat disorders of the visual system with an emphasis on binocular vision or abnormal eye movements.
- Provide instructions to patients or family members concerning diagnoses or treatment plans.
- Perform diagnostic tests or measurements, such as motor testing, visual acuity testing, lensometry, retinoscopy, and color vision testing.
- Provide nonsurgical interventions, including corrective lenses, patches, drops, fusion exercises, or stereograms, to treat conditions such as strabismus, heterophoria, and convergence insufficiency.
- Develop nonsurgical treatment plans for patients with conditions such as strabismus, nystagmus, and other visual disorders.
- Interpret clinical or diagnostic test results.
- Develop or use special test and communication techniques to facilitate diagnosis and treatment of children or patients with disabilities.
- Provide training related to clinical methods or orthoptics to students, resident physicians, or other health professionals.
- Refer patients to ophthalmic surgeons or other physicians.
Tools & technology
- Computer Aided Vision Therapy CAVT
- Computer perceptual processing software
- Eye Tracking Exercises Enterprises Track with Letters
- HTS Vision CVS2
- HTS Vision HTS2 Computerized Binocular Home Eye Exercise System
- MAX Systems Max-Gold Medical Clinic Software
- SeeRite Flash and Match
- Therapeutic orthoptic software
- Email software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Knowledge areas
- Medicine and Dentistry
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Education and Training
- Psychology
- Biology
- Therapy and Counseling
- Mathematics