Orthoptists
Diagnose and treat visual system disorders such as binocular vision and eye movement impairments.
Also called: Clinical Orthoptist (CO), CO (Certified Orthoptist)
Median pay
$115,210
Pay for the broader BLS group “Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other”
Pay range (10th–90th)
$65,210 – $195,190
People employed
28,630
Whole BLS group
Holland code
IRS
Investigative · Realistic · Social
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you want to stay at 40 hours a week or less?
- 2.Do you want the same hours every week?
- 3.Do you prefer a steady pace without constant deadlines?
- 4.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 5.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 6.Are you OK repeating the same tasks most of the day?
- 7.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 8.Do you prefer working indoors?
The hard parts
- Exposure to disease or infection
Orthoptists pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (42 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, for the broader group “Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other”.
What orthoptists do
- 01Evaluate, diagnose, or treat disorders of the visual system with an emphasis on binocular vision or abnormal eye movements.
- 02Examine patients with problems related to ocular motility, binocular vision, amblyopia, or strabismus.
- 03Perform diagnostic tests or measurements, such as motor testing, visual acuity testing, lensometry, retinoscopy, and color vision testing.
- 04Provide nonsurgical interventions, including corrective lenses, patches, drops, fusion exercises, or stereograms, to treat conditions such as strabismus, heterophoria, and convergence insufficiency.
- 05Develop nonsurgical treatment plans for patients with conditions such as strabismus, nystagmus, and other visual disorders.
- 06Provide instructions to patients or family members concerning diagnoses or treatment plans.
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Science
Knowledge
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Biology
- Education and Training
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Cautiousness
- Cooperation
- Empathy
Education and first steps
O*NET has no education survey data for this job.
How people get started
- Usually needs a graduate degree (O*NET Job Zone 5).
- Related work experience: none.
- On-the-job training: none or short demonstration.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from orthoptists
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- Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary76% · —
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Majors that lead here
- Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems, General
- Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
- Naturopathic Medicine/Naturopathy
- Homeopathic Medicine/Homeopathy
- Ayurvedic Medicine/Ayurveda
- Holistic/Integrative Health
- Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems, Other
- Direct Entry Midwifery
- Alternative and Complementary Medical Support Services, Other
- Aromatherapy
- Herbalism/Herbalist
- Polarity Therapy
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.