Will AI replace Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists?
AI can do 39% of the work Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists do at least twice as fast. People already use it for 1 of their 21 tasks, while 8 more are ready but barely used so far. 12 still need a person.
AI is already doing this1 · 5% of time
People already use AI for these tasks in real work, based on Anthropic's analysis of how Claude is used.
- Provide consultation, support, or education to groups such as parents and teachers.Mostly automated5% of time
AI could do this next8 · 34% of time
AI can speed these up by at least half, but real use has not caught up yet. These are next in line.
- Write reports or complete forms to document assessments, training, progress, or follow-up outcomes.12% of time
- Develop rehabilitation or instructional plans collaboratively with clients, based on results of assessments, needs, and goals.5% of time
- Participate in professional development activities, such as reading literature, continuing education, attending conferences, and collaborating with colleagues.4% of time
- Collaborate with specialists, such as rehabilitation counselors, speech pathologists, and occupational therapists, to provide client solutions.4% of time
- Design instructional programs to improve communication, using devices such as slates and styluses, braillers, keyboards, adaptive handwriting devices, talking book machines, digital books, and optical character readers (OCRs).3% of time
- Administer tests and interpret test results to develop rehabilitation plans for clients.3% of time
- Refer clients to services, such as eye care, health care, rehabilitation, and counseling, to enhance visual and life functioning or when condition exceeds scope of practice.1% of time
- Recommend appropriate mobility devices or systems, such as human guides, dog guides, long canes, electronic travel aids (ETAs), and other adaptive mobility devices (AMDs).1% of time
Still needs a person12 · 61% of time
No real AI use, no proven AI speedup and no robot that can do it yet. This is the part of the job to build on.
- Teach clients to travel independently, using a variety of actual or simulated travel situations or exercises.8% of time
- Teach independent living skills or techniques, such as adaptive eating, medication management, diabetes management, and personal management.8% of time
- Teach cane skills, including cane use with a guide, diagonal techniques, and two-point touches.7% of time
- Train clients to use adaptive equipment, such as large print, reading stands, lamps, writing implements, software, and electronic devices.7% of time
- Assess clients' functioning in areas such as vision, orientation and mobility skills, social and emotional issues, cognition, physical abilities, and personal goals.7% of time
- Train clients to read or write Braille.4% of time
- Train clients to use tactile, auditory, kinesthetic, olfactory, and proprioceptive information.4% of time
- Monitor clients' progress to determine whether changes in rehabilitation plans are needed.4% of time
- Train clients with visual impairments to use mobility devices or systems, such as human guides, dog guides, electronic travel aids (ETAs), and other adaptive mobility devices (AMDs).4% of time
- Obtain, distribute, or maintain low vision devices.3% of time
- Identify visual impairments related to basic life skills in areas such as self care, literacy, communication, health management, home management, and meal preparation.3% of time
- Teach self-advocacy skills to clients.3% of time
Your week is not the average
Describe what you actually do and get a personal report: your own tasks, what AI can already do, what stays yours and a 90 day plan.
What this means
AI can speed up parts of this job, mostly the paperwork and information work around it. The core still depends on hands, presence or relationships.
What to do next
- Do the 1 task AI is already handling with AI yourself. Your peers already are, and it is quickly becoming the baseline.
- Get ahead on the 8 tasks AI could do next. These move as tools improve, so learning them early pays off.
- Build on the 12 tasks that stay human. This is where your judgment, skill and relationships matter most.
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