Will AI replace Ophthalmic Medical Technicians?
AI can do 23% of the work Ophthalmic Medical Technicians do at least twice as fast. People already use it for 1 of their 20 tasks, while 3 more are ready but barely used so far. Robots can technically handle 8 physical tasks. 8 still need a person.
AI is already doing this1 · 14% of time
People already use AI for these tasks in real work, based on Anthropic's analysis of how Claude is used.
- Take and document patients' medical histories.Mostly assisted14% of time
AI could do this next3 · 10% of time
AI can speed these up by at least half, but real use has not caught up yet. These are next in line.
- Measure and record lens power, using lensometers.4% of time
- Take anatomical or functional ocular measurements of the eye or surrounding tissue, such as axial length measurements.4% of time
- Assist patients to select eyewear.1% of time
Robots can technically do this8 · 47% of time
Physical tasks that today's robots can perform in at least some settings. Robots are cost competitive for very few tasks so far, so this change moves slower.
- Operate ophthalmic equipment, such as autorefractors, phoropters, tomographs, or retinoscopes.Robots: structured workplaces14% of time
- Measure visual acuity, including near, distance, pinhole, or dynamic visual acuity, using appropriate tests.Robots: structured workplaces12% of time
- Conduct visual field tests to measure field of vision.Robots: purpose built settings5% of time
- Clean or sterilize ophthalmic or surgical instruments.Robots: purpose built settings4% of time
- Assess refractive conditions of eyes, using retinoscopes.Robots: structured workplaces3% of time
- Conduct ocular motility tests to measure function of eye muscles.Robots: purpose built settings3% of time
- Maintain ophthalmic instruments or equipment.Robots: purpose built settings3% of time
- Measure corneal curvature with keratometers or ophthalmometers to aid in the diagnosis of conditions, such as astigmatism.Robots: structured workplaces3% of time
Still needs a person8 · 30% 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.
- Administer topical ophthalmic or oral medications.8% of time
- Conduct tonometry or tonography tests to measure intraocular pressure.8% of time
- Assist physicians in performing ophthalmic procedures, including surgery.7% of time
- Assist patients to insert or remove contact lenses.1% of time
- Call patients to inquire about their post-operative status or recovery.1% of time
- Instruct patients in the care and use of contact lenses.1% of time
- Adjust or make minor repairs to spectacles or eyeglasses.1% of time
- Conduct binocular disparity tests to assess depth perception.1% 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. Robots are the other change to watch: they can technically do 55% of the working time.
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 3 tasks AI could do next. These move as tools improve, so learning them early pays off.
- Keep an eye on the 8 physical tasks robots can technically do. Cost keeps most robots out of work today, so this shift is slower.
- Build on the 8 tasks that stay human. This is where your judgment, skill and relationships matter most.
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