Share and intensity of work current AI systems can materially affect.
SOC 29-2057
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians AI displacement risk
Ophthalmic technicians take ocular measurements, operate imaging equipment, and document histories — the staff who actually run the OCT and retinal cameras whose images AI screens. Imaging AI raises the value of clean acquisition while the patient-facing measurement work stays manual.
Likely potential for exposed tasks to move to software after workflow integration.
AI reads the images; technicians take them. Poor scans defeat algorithms, so capture quality becomes more important, and tonometry, visual-acuity testing, and patient positioning remain hands-on.
Distribution
Where Ophthalmic Medical Technicians sits across 620 tracked roles
Displacement pressure 26 — higher than 37% of the 620 occupations tracked on displacement.ai.
Score version
This page uses Seed model v0.4 (seed-v0.4-2026-05), last reviewed 2026-08-15. Directional occupation-level planning model using hand-reviewed public research, task exposure estimates, wage context, and transition-pathway assumptions.
20 O*NET task statements matched to SOC 29-2057. The displayed task profile combines these official task statements with the current public score model.
Median wage context: $45,570 (May 2025, US national). The latest BLS row matched SOC 29-2057.
Scores are planning signals, not forecasts. Local hiring demand, employer-specific workflows, licensing, and credentials must be validated before making career decisions.
2030 economic stress test
How Anthropic's scenarios classify Ophthalmic Medical Technicians
SOC 29-2057 places this role in the paper's cognitive occupation group. These group-level outcomes do not change the 26/100 role score and are not an occupation forecast.
+0.4% group wage
-0.5% cognitive employment since mid-2026; 2.9% cognitive unemployment.
Economy-wide: +1.6% GDP and 3.9% unemployment.
-0.3% group wage
-3.9% cognitive employment since mid-2026; 4.5% cognitive unemployment.
Economy-wide: +8.3% GDP and 4.6% unemployment.
-11.5% group wage
-21.5% cognitive employment since mid-2026; 17.9% cognitive unemployment.
Economy-wide: +32.4% GDP and 11.9% unemployment.
Compare the assumptions and limitations across all three scenarios. Source: The Anthropic Institute Working Paper No. 2026-02.
Official task evidence
O*NET task matches for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians
The current evidence import matched 20 task statements from Task Statements 31.0 (August 2026). These rows are used as a grounding layer for judging which parts of the occupation are repeatable, language-heavy, analytical, social, physical, or compliance-sensitive.
Dataset31.0 (August 2026)
Matched tasks20
SOC29-2057
- Core task / ID 19252
Take and document patients' medical histories.
- Core task / ID 19257
Conduct tonometry or tonography tests to measure intraocular pressure.
- Core task / ID 19250
Operate ophthalmic equipment, such as autorefractors, phoropters, tomographs, or retinoscopes.
- Core task / ID 19251
Take anatomical or functional ocular measurements of the eye or surrounding tissue, such as axial length measurements.
- Core task / ID 19249
Measure visual acuity, including near, distance, pinhole, or dynamic visual acuity, using appropriate tests.
- Core task / ID 19248
Measure and record lens power, using lensometers.
Source: O*NET Resource Center, Task Statements. Raw import target: data/raw/onet/task-statements-31-0.txt.
Task profile
Where AI changes the work
Operate ophthalmic equipment such as autorefractors and tomographs
Exposure 34, automation 16%, augmentation 52%.
O*NET evidence: Operate ophthalmic equipment, such as autorefractors, phoropters, tomographs, or retino... (ID 19250)
Conduct tonometry tests to measure intraocular pressure
Exposure 28, automation 12%, augmentation 46%.
O*NET evidence: Conduct tonometry or tonography tests to measure intraocular pressure. (ID 19257)
Take and document patient medical histories
Exposure 52, automation 28%, augmentation 58%.
O*NET evidence: Take and document patients' medical histories. (ID 19252)
Measure visual acuity using appropriate tests
Exposure 32, automation 15%, augmentation 48%.
O*NET evidence: Measure visual acuity, including near, distance, pinhole, or dynamic visual acuity, usi... (ID 19249)
TaskExposureAutomationAugmentation
Operate ophthalmic equipment such as autorefractors and tomographs3416%52%
Conduct tonometry tests to measure intraocular pressure2812%46%
Take and document patient medical histories5228%58%
Measure visual acuity using appropriate tests3215%48%
Transition pathways
Adjacent moves that preserve existing skills
credentialed transition
LowOphthalmic Technologist
Training horizon: 12-24 months. Skill overlap 62. Wage preservation signal 118.
- Earn COT certification
- Lead imaging protocols
- Train new technicians
role redesign
LowOphthalmic Clinic Manager
Training horizon: 6-12 months. Skill overlap 64. Wage preservation signal 122.
- Run clinic flow
- Own equipment programs
- Manage technician teams
Comparison guides
Compare the next move before you commit
12-24 months
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians to Ophthalmic Technologist
Compare AI displacement pressure, wage preservation, skill overlap, training time, and first proof project for moving from Ophthalmic Medical Technicians into Ophthalmic Technologist.
6-12 months
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians to Ophthalmic Clinic Manager
Compare AI displacement pressure, wage preservation, skill overlap, training time, and first proof project for moving from Ophthalmic Medical Technicians into Ophthalmic Clinic Manager.
What the AI risk score means for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians
The displacement pressure score for Ophthalmic Medical Technicians is 26. That score blends task exposure, automation pressure, augmentation potential, wage vulnerability, transition feasibility, and source confidence. It is designed to help workers and workforce teams decide where to act first, not to claim a specific date when a job will disappear.
For this role, the clearest risk pattern is visible at the task level. Take and document patient medical histories carries 28% automation pressure, while Take and document patient medical histories carries 58% augmentation potential. That means the best response is usually a targeted redesign of work: move away from repeatable production tasks and toward judgment, exception handling, coordination, stakeholder context, and accountable use of AI tools.
Labor-market context and wage risk
Median wage: $45,570 (May 2025, US national). Employment context: Eye-clinic testing role operating the AI-screening scanners. Typical education: Postsecondary certificate or on-the-job training.
Wage vulnerability is 52, while transition feasibility is 64. A high wage-vulnerability score means workers should pay close attention to salary preservation before making a move. A high transition-feasibility score means there are adjacent paths that can reuse existing skills without requiring a complete career reset.
- Low displacement pressure
- AI screening needs clean captures
- Patient-facing testing stays manual
Upskilling priorities
Skills that make this role more resilient
The safest upskilling plan starts with skills already close to the work. For Ophthalmic Medical Technicians, the strongest near-term skill priorities are listed below. These are useful whether the goal is to stay in the role, move to a redesigned version of the role, or transition into an adjacent occupation.
Ophthalmic imaging
Build proof of this skill through a work sample, checklist, dashboard, case note, workflow map, or portfolio artifact tied to the transition paths on this page.
Patient measurement
Build proof of this skill through a work sample, checklist, dashboard, case note, workflow map, or portfolio artifact tied to the transition paths on this page.
Medical documentation
Build proof of this skill through a work sample, checklist, dashboard, case note, workflow map, or portfolio artifact tied to the transition paths on this page.
Clinical screening
Build proof of this skill through a work sample, checklist, dashboard, case note, workflow map, or portfolio artifact tied to the transition paths on this page.
90-day transition plan
The most practical next step is not to wait for a layoff or a full role redesign. Use the next 90 days to create evidence that you can operate in a safer, more AI-augmented version of the work.
- In the first 30 days, document the repetitive tasks in your current work and identify where AI can reduce drafting, lookup, classification, or reporting time.
- By 60 days, complete one small project connected to Ophthalmic Technologist, such as earn cot certification.
- By 90 days, compare internal openings and external postings for Ophthalmic Technologist or Ophthalmic Clinic Manager and update your resume around measurable workflow outcomes.
FAQ
Questions about AI and Ophthalmic Medical Technicians
Will AI replace Ophthalmic Medical Technicians?
Ophthalmic technicians take ocular measurements, operate imaging equipment, and document histories — the staff who actually run the OCT and retinal cameras whose images AI screens. Imaging AI raises the value of clean acquisition while the patient-facing measurement work stays manual. The better planning signal is not full replacement, but which tasks become automated, which tasks become AI-assisted, and which responsibilities still need human judgment.
Which parts of Ophthalmic Medical Technicians work are most exposed to AI?
Take and document patient medical histories and Operate ophthalmic equipment such as autorefractors and tomographs show the strongest automation pressure in this model. Take and document patient medical histories and Operate ophthalmic equipment such as autorefractors and tomographs are better treated as AI-augmented work.
What should Ophthalmic Medical Technicians learn next?
Start with Ophthalmic imaging, Patient measurement, Medical documentation. The most practical adjacent paths in this model are Ophthalmic Technologist and Ophthalmic Clinic Manager.
How should this score be used?
Use it as a planning signal, not a prediction. Confirm local hiring demand, wages, licensing, credentials, and employer adoption before making a career move.
Sources
Evidence trail
OECD / 11 July 2023OECD Employment Outlook 2023: Artificial Intelligence and the Labour MarketO*NET Resource Center / Database 31.0 (August 2026)Occupation, Task, Skill, and Work-Activity DataUS Bureau of Labor Statistics / May 2025 estimates (released 15 May 2026)Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics