How To Become An Eye Specialist: What It Is and Career Path

What is an eye specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted Expert

Mark Nakano OD

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being an eye specialist. For example, did you know that they make an average of $34.31 an hour? That's $71,371 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 10% and produce 4,000 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to an Eye Specialist?

Mark Nakano OD

Associate Dean for Clinics, Assistant Professor, Marshall B. Ketchum University

Being a lifelong learner is always an important attribute so that you stay current with the evolution of the profession. A special skill set would include being able to utilize technology in clinical care. More equipment that incorporates technology is prevalent and will improve the outcomes for patients. I believe that connecting with your patient and establishing a trusting relationship will remain the most important piece.

ScoreEye SpecialistUS Average

Salary

5.6

Avg. Salary $71,371

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

7.6

Growth Rate 10%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.1

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.35%

Asian 17.00%

Black or African American 1.48%

Hispanic or Latino 5.35%

Unknown 3.06%

White 72.75%

Gender

female 77.27%

male 22.73%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress Level

7.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

10.0

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

7.6

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Newest jobs for Eye Specialist in Columbus, OH

Receive alerts for the newest job postings.

Key steps to become an eye specialist

Explore eye specialist education requirements

Most common eye specialist degrees

Bachelor's

32.2 %

High School Diploma

21.8 %

Associate

19.0 %

Start to develop specific eye specialist skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	38.77%
Appointment Scheduling	15.86%
Surgery	4.73%
Quality Customer Service	3.94%
Front Desk	3.73%

Complete relevant eye specialist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New eye specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an eye specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real eye specialist resumes.

Research eye specialist duties and responsibilities

Prepare educational documents on cataract surgery for patients and staff at clinic.
Assist the doctors with patients, using digital, traditional cameras, oct, filling and customer assistance.
Consult with and refer patients to ophthalmologist or other health care practitioner if additional medical treatment is determined necessary.
Perform soft and RGP contact lens fittings and evaluations, including toric, monovision and post corneal surgery lenses.

Prepare your eye specialist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your eye specialist resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an eye specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Eye Specialist Resume templates

Build a professional Eye Specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Eye Specialist resume.

Apply for eye specialist jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an eye specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams