Will orthoptists be replaced by AI?
Updated
Orthoptists score 39 out of 100 for AI exposure. AI helps with 56% of their task time, and they stay in charge. AI can do another 6%. 38% needs a person.
- 6% AI can do it
- 56% AI helps
- 38% Needs a person
Moderate exposure
Higher than 51% of the 923 jobs we scored.
Task by task
We graded 16 tasks, most exposed first. AI can do 1 of them, helps with 9 and leaves 6 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Prepare diagnostic or treatment reports for other medical practitioners or therapists. AI can draft reports from notes; clinician reviews and signs. | 70% AI can do it |
| Present or publish scientific papers. AI drafts manuscripts and figures quickly; author judgement stays central. | 60% AI helps |
| Interpret clinical or diagnostic test results. AI can read and summarize results; clinician confirms meaning. | 55% AI helps |
| Provide instructions to patients or family members concerning diagnoses or treatment plans. AI can draft clear instructions, but delivery needs human explanation. | 45% AI helps |
| Develop nonsurgical treatment plans for patients with conditions such as strabismus, nystagmus, and other visual disorders. AI can draft plan options from findings; clinician approves treatment. | 45% AI helps |
| Refer patients to ophthalmic surgeons or other physicians. AI drafts referral letters, but referral decisions need clinical judgement. | 40% AI helps |
| Provide training related to clinical methods or orthoptics to students, resident physicians, or other health professionals. AI can build course material; teaching and supervision stay human. | 35% AI helps |
| Participate in clinical research projects. AI helps with data analysis and protocols; patient contact stays human. | 35% AI helps |
| Evaluate, diagnose, or treat disorders of the visual system with an emphasis on binocular vision or abnormal eye movements. AI aids reasoning, but clinical exam and treatment stay hands on. | 30% AI helps |
| Collaborate with ophthalmologists, optometrists, or other specialists in the diagnosis, treatment, or management of conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts, and retinal diseases. Case discussions are live, though AI can prepare summaries beforehand. | 25% AI helps |
Show the other 6 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Examine patients with problems related to ocular motility, binocular vision, amblyopia, or strabismus. Hands on eye motility exams need live patient contact. | 15% Needs a person |
| Provide nonsurgical interventions, including corrective lenses, patches, drops, fusion exercises, or stereograms, to treat conditions such as strabismus, heterophoria, and convergence insufficiency. Dispensing lenses, patches and drops is physical, in person work. | 15% Needs a person |
| Develop or use special test and communication techniques to facilitate diagnosis and treatment of children or patients with disabilities. Adapting tests for young or disabled patients needs hands on skill. | 15% Needs a person |
| Perform vision screening of children in schools or community health centers. On site screening of children needs in person testing and equipment. | 15% Needs a person |
| Perform diagnostic tests or measurements, such as motor testing, visual acuity testing, lensometry, retinoscopy, and color vision testing. Motor, acuity and retinoscopy tests need hands on equipment use. | 12% Needs a person |
| Assist ophthalmologists in diagnostic ophthalmic procedures, such as ultrasonography, fundus photography, and tonometry. Ultrasound, fundus photography and tonometry need hands on operation. | 12% Needs a person |
How orthoptists compare
All jobs (923)
Healthcare practitioners and technical (89)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $115,210 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 14,315 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- +5.5% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Run binocular vision tests with CAVT and HTS Vision CVS2
- Write treatment plans in MAX Systems Max-Gold Medical Clinic Software
- Interpret motility and acuity results before signing reports
- Hold hands-on testing skills for strabismus and nystagmus patients
- Present clinical findings in Microsoft PowerPoint for referring doctors
Safer roles nearby
5 related jobs with lower scores.
Questions about orthoptists and AI
Will AI replace orthoptists?
Partly. About 3 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly preparing diagnostic reports for other practitioners and interpreting clinical test results. Hands-on testing of eye movement, binocular vision and amblyopia stays with orthoptists because it needs a person and equipment in the room with the patient.
Which orthoptist tasks is AI taking over?
Report writing and results summaries. Preparing diagnostic or treatment reports for other practitioners has an exposure score of 70, so AI can draft them from notes. Interpreting test results, scored 55, can be read and summarized by AI, with the orthoptist confirming what the findings mean.
Which orthoptist tasks stay human?
Hands-on testing and patient-facing care. Performing motor, acuity and retinoscopy tests scores 12 on exposure, because the work needs equipment operated manually. Examining ocular motility and binocular vision scores 15, since it needs live patient contact. Vision screening of children in schools also stays with people.
How can orthoptists stay valuable as AI spreads?
Keep the hands-on exam and check every AI draft. Run binocular and motility tests on CAVT and HTS Vision CVS2 yourself, then review AI-drafted reports in Microsoft Word before signing. Adapt tests for young or disabled patients, and explain treatment plans to families face to face.
Related jobs
Next steps for orthoptists
Check which roles in your team AI can take on
We map your team's tasks, show what AI can do today and build the automations that pay back first.
Related topics
- Jobs AI can't replaceRoustabouts score lowest, at 6.
- Jobs most at risk from AIProofreaders score highest, at 76.
- High-paying jobs with low AI exposurePediatric surgeons earn a median $559,030 and score 29.
- Entry-level jobs with low AI exposureRoustabouts need little prior training and score 6.
- Jobs AI speeds up the mostAI helps with 98% of the task time for health informatics specialists.
- AI and jobs in Malta15 iGaming roles graded task by task.
- Skills that keep work humanThe skills to build in the jobs AI changes least.
- Jobs A to ZEvery job we score, by first letter.
- AI exposure by industryAverage scores for 22 job groups.
- Write a CV screening software can readHow applicant tracking systems read a CV, and what to change.
- AI for businessesThe tasks to automate first in each team and industry.
- How we score AI exposureThe grading, the weights and every source.