Mostly Resilient
Last Update: 7/31/2026
AI Resilience Score for Optometrists:
64.1%
Median Score
Meaningful human contribution
Measures the parts of the occupation that still require a human touch. This score averages data from up to four AI exposure datasets, focusing on the role’s resilience against automation.
Med
Long-term employer demand
Predicts the health of the job market for this role through 2034. Using Bureau of Labor Statistics data, it balances projected annual job openings (60%) with overall employment growth (40%).
Med
Sustained economic opportunity
Measures future earning potential and career flexibility. This score is a blend of total projected labor income (67%) and the role’s inherent ability to adapt to economic and technological shifts (33%).
High
This reflects the reliability of your score based on the number of data sources available for this career and how closely those sources agree on the outlook. A higher confidence means more consistent evidence from labor experts and AI models.
Most data sources align, with only minor variation. This is a well-supported result.
Contributing sources
AI Resilience Report forOptometrists
$136,570 median salary•2,400 annual openings•SOC Code: 29-1041.00
Optometrists are somewhat more resilient to AI impacts than most occupations, according to our analysis of 6 sources.
Optometry is holding up really well because so much of the job depends on things AI simply cannot do alone, like hands-on procedures, building trust with patients, and making careful clinical judgments that go beyond what a computer can reliably handle. AI is actually making optometrists more productive rather than replacing them, helping with tasks like screening for eye diseases and handling paperwork so doctors can focus on more patients and more complex care.
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Optometry is holding up really well because so much of the job depends on things AI simply cannot do alone, like hands-on procedures, building trust with patients, and making careful clinical judgments that go beyond what a computer can reliably handle. AI is actually making optometrists more productive rather than replacing them, helping with tasks like screening for eye diseases and handling paperwork so doctors can focus on more patients and more complex care.
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Optometrists
Updated Quarterly
How is AI changing Optometrists jobs?
Right now, AI is mostly augmenting optometrists rather than replacing them — it acts like a smart assistant in the exam room. The clearest example is diabetic retinopathy screening: three AI systems are now FDA-approved to screen for diabetic retinopathy, and one of them, AEYE-DS, can diagnose referable diabetic retinopathy from a single image per eye taken by a handheld camera, with sensitivity of 92–93% and specificity of 89–94%. AI is also moving into refraction and slit-lamp work — for example, DigitalOptometrics offers a remote eye exam [1] that simulates an in-person visit using AI-based refraction and remote-operated equipment, supervised by a licensed optometrist.
Inside the practice, AI scribes and EHR helpers are spreading fast: the AOA's endorsed EHR Barti now lets doctors of optometry access guideline-based summaries and citations instantly within the patient chart, supporting real-time, evidence-based clinical decision making. Ambient AI listening tools are also impressive — a study at a major ophthalmic center with over 300,000 consultations showed doctors gained two hours per day, over 96% of text was accurate, and time saved increased patient visits by up to 30% in some clinics. Hands-on tasks like removing foreign bodies, fitting contacts, and providing vision therapy still require a human.
Sources
How fast is AI adoption growing for Optometrists?
Adoption is moving quickly for documentation and screening, but more slowly for diagnosis. Demand for optometrists is strong: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment will grow 8% from 2024 to 2034, much faster than average [2], so AI is being used to stretch each doctor's time rather than cut jobs. Healthcare-wide spending is supporting this — more than 80% of leaders believe gen AI and agentic AI can provide moderate-to-significant value across functions in 2026, though 49% of organizations are still experimenting and only a third are using AI at scale.
Trust and liability are the biggest brakes. As AOA leaders put it, AI will become an augmentative assistant on both the administrative and clinical sides, helping in a time of declining reimbursements and increasing physician retirements, but they warn that AI can suffer from "hallucinations," making up answers with no credible basis, so optometrists must be aware of its limitations and not accept every answer as fact. The encouraging news for students considering this career: AI can't succeed without optometrists' expertise — to interpret, to lead the process, and to carry out the decisions.
Skills like patient empathy, hands-on procedures, and clinical judgment will remain genuinely human strengths.
Sources
Will AI replace Optometrists?
No. We don't think AI will replace Optometrists, though we do expect the job to change.
That view is reflected in our 64.1% AI Resilience Score. AI is already doing real work in the exam room, mostly screening and documentation. FDA-approved tools can flag diabetic retinopathy from a single image, and remote exam platforms now use AI-based refraction supervised by a licensed optometrist [1]. Ambient scribes are saving doctors hours each day, which is helping practices see more patients rather than hire fewer doctors.
What stays human is significant. Hands-on work like fitting contacts, removing foreign bodies, and vision therapy still requires a person in the room. So does the clinical judgment to interpret AI output, catch its errors, and explain a diagnosis to a worried patient. AI can get things wrong, and someone with real expertise has to own the final call.
The job market supports this picture. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment for optometrists will grow 8% from 2024 to 2034, much faster than average [2]. AI is being used to stretch each doctor's capacity, not replace the role. Students considering this career are looking at a future where the tools get smarter, but the optometrist stays essential.
Sources
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Latest AI news for Optometrists
These articles highlight the promising role of AI in optometry, emphasizing how it can enhance rather than replace the work of optometrists. For instance, Professor Clare O'Donnell discusses using AI to optimize clinical capacity, allowing optometrists to focus more on patient care. Similarly, the launch of OptoAI's assistant indicates that technology can streamline practice operations, making it easier for optometrists to manage patient needs. As AI continues to integrate into the field, embracing these advancements will cultivate resilience and adaptability for future optometrists.
Five questions to consider for AI in optometry
www.aop.org.uk • 5/7/2026
With AI a rapidly growing topic in optometry, OT asked experts at 100% Optical about the potential of the technology and what practitioners...
Clare O’Donnell: “AI is not about replacing clinicians but about optimising capacity”
www.aop.org.uk • 2/23/2026
Optegra's head of optometry and head of eye sciences, Professor Clare O'Donnell discusses the integration of AI into optometry practice.
Lenskart Deploys AI-Enabled Eye Testing Across 500+ Stores to Address Optometrist Shortage
scanx.trade • 1/12/2026
Lenskart has deployed AI-enabled remote eye-testing across 500+ stores to address optometrist shortages, achieving 9.3 million tests in H1...
OptoAI releases AI-powered assistant for optometrists
glance.eyesoneyecare.com • 3/4/2025
A new artificial intelligence (AI)-based assistant for optometry practices has officially launched exclusively in the United States: OptoAI.
Navigating AI in optometry: A balancing act of innovation and ethics
www.optometrytimes.com • 12/12/2024
Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into optometry represents an opportunity to revolutionize patient care, yet it also necessitates a...
More Career Info
Career: Optometrists
They check people's eyes to find vision problems and provide glasses or contact lenses to help them see better.
Parent Careers
Employment & Wage Data
Median Wage
$136,570
Jobs (2024)
47,800
Growth (2024-34)
+8.0%
Annual Openings
2,400
Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Experience
None
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2024-2034
Task-Level AI Resilience Scores
AI-generated estimates of task resilience over the next 3 years
1
Provide patients undergoing eye surgeries, such as cataract and laser vision correction, with pre- and post-operative care.
2
Prescribe medications to treat eye diseases if state laws permit.
3
Educate and counsel patients on contact lens care, visual hygiene, lighting arrangements and safety factors.
4
Prescribe therapeutic procedures to correct or conserve vision.
5
Prescribe, supply, fit and adjust eyeglasses, contact lenses and other vision aids.
6
Provide vision therapy and low vision rehabilitation.
7
Remove foreign bodies from the eye.
Tasks are ranked by their AI resilience, with the most resilient tasks shown first. Core tasks are essential functions of this occupation, while supplemental tasks provide additional context.
