Ophthalmic Medical Technician
Healthcare
Assist ophthalmologists by performing ophthalmic clinical functions. May administer eye exams, administer eye medications, and instruct the patient in care and use of corrective lenses.
You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.
What you'd do all day
The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.
- 1Take and document patients' medical histories.
- 2Operate ophthalmic equipment, such as autorefractors, phoropters, tomographs, or retinoscopes.
- 3Conduct tonometry or tonography tests to measure intraocular pressure.
- 4Measure visual acuity, including near, distance, pinhole, or dynamic visual acuity, using appropriate tests.
- 5Take anatomical or functional ocular measurements of the eye or surrounding tissue, such as axial length measurements.
- 6Measure and record lens power, using lensometers.
- 7Administer topical ophthalmic or oral medications.
- 8Conduct visual field tests to measure field of vision.
- 9Assist physicians in performing ophthalmic procedures, including surgery.
- 10Measure corneal curvature with keratometers or ophthalmometers to aid in the diagnosis of conditions, such as astigmatism.
- 11Conduct ocular motility tests to measure function of eye muscles.
- 12Clean or sterilize ophthalmic or surgical instruments.
- 13Maintain ophthalmic instruments or equipment.
- 14Instruct patients in the care and use of contact lenses.
- 15Assess refractive conditions of eyes, using retinoscopes.
- 16Call patients to inquire about their post-operative status or recovery.
- 17Assist patients to insert or remove contact lenses.
- 18Conduct binocular disparity tests to assess depth perception.
- 19Adjust or make minor repairs to spectacles or eyeglasses.
- 20Assist patients to select eyewear.
Also known as
What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.
- COT
- COT-SA
- Health Tech
- Medical Tech
- Optical Tech
- Paraoptometric
- Eyecare Advisor
- Ophthalmic Aide
- Ophthalmic Tech
- Optometric Tech
How far is this from you?
Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.
1
Entry straight after SPM
2
SPM + sijil / short TVET course
Typical entry
Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)
4
Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)
5
Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route
Subjects that matter here
The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.
What you'd need to know
The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.
- Customer and Personal Service86%
- Medicine and Dentistry84%
BiologyChemistry
- English Language80%
English
- Mathematics66%
Additional MathematicsMathematics
- Administrative58%
Business
- Education and Training55%
Tools you'd use
Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.
What the work feels like
Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.
- Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
- Contact with other peopleConstant contact
- Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
- Handling conflict situationsRarely
- Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
- Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
- Noisy environmentAlmost never
- Hands-on work with tools or objectsAlmost all the time
Where this job is heading
Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.
- Order supplies.
- Perform examinations using ophthalmic equipment, such as autorefractors, phoropters, tomographs, or retinoscopes.
AI and demand for this job
A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.
Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)
This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.
Pay in Malaysia
We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.
Where to check:
- JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
- DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
- SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
Check what you may qualify for
Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.
How to get here
Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.
Related careers
If this interests you, these are worth a look too.
About this information
This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.
O*NET occupation: Ophthalmic Medical Technicians
Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org