Orthoptist

Pay Range

$66,397.24 - $82,991.27

Entry level

Full-time

Health Care Provider

Hospitals and Health Care

This role focuses on providing medical and clinical support services to patients. The role also focuses on performing the following ophthalmology duties: performing, prescribing, and analyzing results for the treatment of illnesses, diseases, injuries, and conditions related to the eye. Tasks include vision assessments, eye surgeries, and advanced forms of eye disease in patients with significant systemic illness. It is a professional individual contributor role that may direct the work of lower level professionals and manage processes and programs.

The majority of time is spent overseeing the design, implementation, or delivery of processes, programs, and policies using specialized knowledge and skills typically acquired through advanced education. It is a specialist level role, recognized as a subject matter expert in the job area typically obtained through advanced education and work experience. The position typically manages large projects or processes with limited oversight from a manager, coaching, reviewing, and delegating work to lower level professionals, and resolving difficult and often complex problems.

This position is responsible for evaluating and recommending treatment of patients with ocular motility disturbances. It assists the ophthalmologist in all aspects of patient care, including diagnostic testing and preliminary examination.

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Completion of a two‑year Orthoptist or Ophthalmic Medical Technician program.
• Orthoptist or Ophthalmic Medical Technician certification.
• Two (2) years of experience as an Orthoptist, including teaching experience.

• Evaluate patients with ocular motility disturbance, determine appropriate method of treatment, and report recommendations to the referring ophthalmologist.
• Make diagnostic choices while evaluating patients to determine method and procedure of continued examination for best results.
• Provide ocular motility and/or vision treatment when recommended treatment is approved by an ophthalmologist.
• Organize and participate in vision and ocular motility screening.
• Conduct periodic ocular motility conferences for residents of ophthalmology.
• Document ocular motility disturbances by taking external motility photographs.
• Maintain and dispense press‑on prism and lens inventory.
• Review and update orthoptic library books and journals.
• Present at local and national ophthalmology conferences.
• Order all pediatric pharmacological supplies.
• Order all clinical supplies for pediatric ophthalmology.
• Assist in strabismus surgery.
• Responsible for updating the pediatric code cart.
• Conduct a teaching program for technical employees at New England Eye Center to teach ophthalmic technology skills.
• Prepare students for national certifying exams.

• Requires moving heavy medical equipment.
• Close contact with patients, with some exposure to blood and hypodermic needles.
• Frequently assists visually impaired patients from wheelchairs into exam chairs.
• Regularly escort patients to other floors within the department as needed.
• Requires prolonged standing, walking, bending, stooping, and stretching.

• Knowledge of anatomy and physiology of the eye and common diseases.
• Ability to use and maintain orthoptic instruments, visual field instruments, and general ophthalmic instruments.
• Teaching skills necessary to assist in the training of orthoptic/ophthalmic technician students.
• Analytical skills necessary to determine method of patient evaluation to recommend treatment.
• Interpersonal skills needed to interact with pediatric and adult patients and referring ophthalmologists.
• Ability to assess the needs of adult and pediatric patient populations to provide care appropriately.
• Ability to effectively explain the exam process to patients and attempt to allay their concerns and apprehensions.
• High attention to detail.
• Ability to work in a high‑volume clinic and fast‑paced environment.
• Knowledge of sterile technique.

At Tufts…