Ophthalmic Nurse Career Overview

What Is an Ophthalmic Nurse?

Ophthalmic nurses treat patients who need medical care for their eyes. Whether their patients seek help for injuries or diseases, ophthalmic nurses assist a patient’s eye care team to prevent, diagnose, and treat problems as they arise. When ophthalmic nurses help to provide quality eye care, they can increase a patient’s independence and quality of life.

Where Do Ophthalmic Nurses Work?

Ophthalmic nurses most often work in private offices, eye surgery centers, and clinics. Sometimes, ophthalmic nurses work in hospitals, but the inpatient setting doesn’t often call for an ophthalmic specialty in nursing.

An ophthalmic nurse’s workplace will largely define their job responsibilities. Private offices and clinics will see more routine eye exams and care, while surgery centers will require duties more similar to an outpatient surgery center. Ophthalmic surgeries may include:

• Blepharoplasty
• Cataract surgery
• Corneal transplant
• Eye muscle surgery
• Glaucoma surgeries
• LASIK (laser in-situ keratomileusis)
• Retina surgeries

What Does an Ophthalmic Nurse Do?

Ophthalmic nurses carry a wide variety of responsibilities. They may help patients fill out their health histories and perform basic eye exams in preparation for the ophthalmologist. Other responsibilities of an ophthalmic nurse in an office or clinic setting may include:

• Administering eye drops and other medications
• Assessing the fit of glasses or corrective lenses
• Assisting with procedures and patient care
• Charting history and exam results
• Conducting vision tests
• Educating patients and families
• Emotionally supporting patients who experience new eye conditions
• Providing public resources for the visually impaired

In a surgical setting, ophthalmic nurses will need to complete all the above in addition to their other duties. Ophthalmic nurses perform pre-surgical assessments and educate patients about their surgery. On the day of surgery, they prep patients for surgery, assist the surgeon during the procedure, and monitor patients during their recovery.

Sometimes urgent surgery is required, such as with a retinal detachment. If an ophthalmic nurse’s facility offers emergency care, they may need to take “on-call” hours to come in to assist with a procedure.

How Do I Become an Ophthalmic Nurse?

To become an ophthalmic nurse, candidates need to graduate from an accredited nursing program. They can choose to earn an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) for this position. Although, if a nurse wants to go the surgical route, they may need their BSN.

Once graduated, an aspiring ophthalmic nurse may start applying for jobs as a graduate nurse (GN). A lot of facilities hire GNs and promote them to registered nurses (RNs) once they pass their state licensing exam, the NCLEX-RN.

After an ophthalmic nurse completes their orientation period, they will be able to practice independently. From here, nurses may choose to pursue nursing management, an advanced practice degree, or certification if they so desire.

Ophthalmic nurses can become ophthalmic nurse practitioners (NPs) by obtaining a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). NP candidates can graduate with their MSN in two years, but many work full-time and take longer to complete their degrees.

The American Society of Ophthalmic Registered Nurses (ASORN) offers the National Certifying Board for Ophthalmic Registered Nurses certification. The exam fee is $350 for ASORN members and $450 for non-members. To qualify for this certification, ophthalmic nurses must have a:

• Current registered nurse license
• Minimum of two years of full-time or the equivalent (4,000 hours) experience in ophthalmic registered nursing practice

How Much Does an Ophthalmic Nurse Make Per Year?

An ophthalmic nurse can earn about the same amount as a registered nurse (RN). RNs make an average of $94,480 per year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This amount can vary by location and experience. The low-end average is $63,720, and the high-end is $132,680. Depending on where you work, your employer may be able to offer higher or lower compensation:

• General Medical and Surgical Hospitals: $96,830
• Offices of Physicians: $83,110
• Outpatient Care Centers: $102,640

Salaries also vary depending on which state an ophthalmic nurse practices. The West Coast generally pays nurses the best, but they also have a higher cost of living.

The West Coast, New England states, and Alaska pay their nurses the highest wages, but the cost of living in these areas can also be high. The lowest-paying states are in the Midwest and some Southeastern states.

The top-paying areas for ophthalmic nurses include:

• San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
• San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
• Napa, CA
• Vallejo-Fairfield, CA
• New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
• Yuba City, CA
• Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade, CA

Certified ophthalmic nurses can be paid more than a nurse who is not certified, depending on the facility. In general, the more experience and proof of expertise, the more an ophthalmic nurse will be able to earn.

Are Ophthalmic Nurses in High Demand?

The American population is aging, and fast. The Administration for Community Living tells us people 65 and older made up 16% of the U.S. population in 2019, but are expected to be 21.6% of the population by 2040. The 85 and older group is expected to reach 14.4 million in 2040 (a 118% increase from 2019).

It’s no secret that as people age, their vision decreases and they become at higher risk for eye disease. The ophthalmic nursing specialty hasn’t been popular, and the field needs more nurses. As the U.S. population starts to need more eye care, these jobs should continue to grow.

Additional Resources for Ophthalmic Nurses

To learn more about becoming an ophthalmic nurse, these websites offer additional resources:

• American Academy of Ophthalmology
• American Society of Ophthalmic Registered Nurses
• American Ophthalmological Society