Ophthalmic Technology
Ophthalmic Technology is the particular discipline that primarily deals with diseases or disorders of eye like optical disease, defect in vision, ocular disease and many more. This particular course study helps the candidates to grow their skill and knowledge in ophthalmology. Students can provide basic treatment to the patients, dispense spectacles, and examine patients. They can also assist in providing contact lenses and practices of optometry. To gain a better understanding about this subject read the following article.
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Ophthalmic Technology Overview
Ophthalmic Technology is one of the most prior aspects of medical science and technology. This course prepares the candidates by training them in such areas like examining patients’ eyes, treatment of vision problems, focus on eye testing , monitoring other ophthalmic equipment and the patients, prescribing spectacles and contact lenses and other practices of optometry. Diploma in Ophthalmic Technology is known as DOT, which helps learn and perform various ophthalmic procedures efficiently.
The details of this particular course discipline like eligibility, career scope, job profiles, salary and modern tools is given below:
Ophthalmic Technology Education
Ophthalmic technology is a perfect blend of modern technology and medical science that requires knowledge and skill to master it. This comes with four levels of education that is diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctorate. With the increasing cases of optical disorders this technical course is quite in demand. The admission is offered by many medical colleges and institutes all over India.
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There are several entrance examinations for different levels of this course at national and regional level. Besides respective colleges and institutions conduct their own entrance examinations.
The candidates are required to secure an aggregate of 45-50% marks in 10+2 examination with biology, physics, chemistry and English from government or any relevant board approved by MCI (Medical Council of India).
The candidates are required to secure an aggregate of 45-50% marks in 10+2 examination with biology, physics, chemistry and English from government or any relevant board approved by MCI (Medical Council of India).
Ophthalmic Technology Career Prospects
Career scope
If we consider all the development and continuous medical and technological advancement the career scope of as an Ophthalmic Technician is pretty high. With 1.4 billion people in India there are millions of causes related to the patients’ eyes. The scope of working in abroad is available too.
Career Overview
Here are some insights ( taken from a journal on Indian Ophthalmic research and development from Cleverjournal) that can help us understand better:
- India’s current ophthalmic market is about US$ 1.3 billion expected to grow at a CAGR of 5–6.8% against a global growth of 4.06%.
- The diagnostic equipment market is the second largest ophthalmic market in India and is expected to reach nearly $257 million in 2022.
- The glaucoma segment is the fastest growing ophthalmic pharmaceutical submarket in India and is expected to be a US$271.8millionmarket by 2022 at a CAGR of approximately 11%.
- In India, the pharmaceutical ophthalmic market has grown from around 1400 crores INR in 2014 to 2200 crores INR in 2018. Currently, this market is growing at a rate of 6.4%.
- The Indian ophthalmologydevices market is expected to register a CAGR of nearly 7.3% during the forecast period, 2020 – 2025.
Job profile
Ophthalmic technology comes with various specialization and field of work in medical science and technology. So there is chance to work in different job profiles on the same domain with proper knowledge and skill. Here are some relevant job profiles given below:
- Ophthalmic Technician – The professional technician who monitors all the ophthalmic equipments and run through the procedures and assessment of optical treatment.
- Ophthalmic Assistant – The professional medical assistant who helps the ophthalmic technicians and ophthalmologists.
- Optometry Assistant and Lab Assistant – The medical assistant who helps in the treatment of optometry and work in the clinical laboratories to help the doctors.
- Ophthalmic Nurse – The specialized nurse who ensures complete patient care and assistance while the procedures and treatment go on.
Salaries and demand
As a diploma holder in Ophthalmic Technology, the candidates can directly apply for the above mentioned job profiles. However the salary structure depends purely on skill and experience. So it gradually increases with experience in work and knowledge in higher studies. The average salary of a ranges from 1.5 lacs INR – 2.5lacs INR per annum at the initiation phase. Although the salary at the stage of internship ranges from 46,000 INR to 1.4 lacs INR per annum.
The salary can fluctuate with different job profiles and sectors such as private or public. There is chance to work in abroad too since the optical disorders affect the whole world of people.
| Job Profile | Average Salary Per Annum (INR) |
| Ophrhalmic Technician | ₹1.4 lacs – 2.5 lacs |
| Ophthalmic Assistant | ₹ 149,554 |
| Optometry Assistant and Lab Assistant | ₹ 1.4 lacs – 2 lacs |
| Ophthalmic Nurse | ₹ 1 lacs – 2 lacs |
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Ophthalmic Technology Placement Companies in India
With growing market of ophthalmic technology and equipments, optical disease and disorders in people there are several medical sectors both Governmental and private in India that offer jobs in this particular domain. Here are some companies that provide handsome packages:
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Ophthalmic Technology Sub Disciplines
Ophthalmic technology is technical course and this discipline comes with multiple sub disciplines with which students can specialize and work in. This sub disciplines are:
- Behavioural Optometry
- Geriatric Optometry
- Pediatric Optometry
- Neuro-Optometry
- Low Vision Therapy
Ophthalmic Technology Areas of Research
Modern tool and innovation
Ophthalmic technology is one of the most advanced aspects medical science that uses modern tools and technology to ensure complete optical cure for the patients. With constantly evolving technology this disciplined has adapted some renovations like (according to Depisteo):
- Tonometer – One of the oldest tool renovated to measure eye pressure.
- Phoropter – This is one of the basic tools that is used to measure refractive error and determine the power of eyeglass.
- Retinoscope – An advanced tool used to calculate refractive error with accuracy.
- Auto Refractor – This tool has a major influence in prescribing lenses.
- Snellen Chart – This is a common tool used by the optometrists, a special chart with digits and alphabets in decreasing order whether it’s a physical or digital chart.
- Ophthalmoscope – This is more of a complex tool that uses reflection to examine the interior of the eye.
- VT 1 Vision Scanner – This is modern complex, high – performance computerized tool that helps to diagnose all kinds of optical disorders and diseases.
Latest research
As the Vision is one of the most important and essential senses, the technology involved to cure or restore it needs constant updates and research in order to make it efficient and helpful for mankind. Here are some latest researches on Ophthalmic Technology –
- The retina segment is likely to show DARPins (ankyrinderivatives), non-biodegradable long-term fluocinoloneeluting implants, antiplatelet-derived growth factors, and number of monoclonal antibody drugs in development.
- Dry eye segment may show the entry of drugs such as lifitegrast, lacritin, nasaltearstimulators, and sodium channel blockers as well as improvement in formulation technology with nanomicellar formulations, mucus penetration particle technology, and addressingmeibomian gland dysfunction.