What Do Low Vision Therapist, Orientation and Mobility Specialist, or Vision Rehabilitation Therapist Do?

Job Description: Provide therapy to patients with visual impairments to improve their functioning in daily life activities. May train patients in activities such as computer use, communication skills, or home management skills.

Vision Therapist or Specialist Responsibilities

• Train clients to use tactile, auditory, kinesthetic, olfactory, and propioceptive information.
• Participate in professional development activities, such as reading literature, continuing education, attending conferences, and collaborating with colleagues.
• Refer clients to services, such as eye care, health care, rehabilitation, and counseling, to enhance visual and life functioning or when condition exceeds scope of practice.
• Collaborate with specialists, such as rehabilitation counselors, speech pathologists, and occupational therapists, to provide client solutions.
• Train clients to use adaptive equipment, such as large print, reading stands, lamps, writing implements, software, and electronic devices.
• Recommend appropriate mobility devices or systems, such as human guides, dog guides, long canes, electronic travel aids (ETAs), and other adaptive mobility devices (AMDs).

Qualities of a Vision Therapist or Specialist

Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Types of Vision Therapist or Specialist Jobs

• Vision Therapist
• Orientation & Mobility Specialist
• Vision Specialist
• Vision Rehabilitation Therapist (VRT)
• Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS)

Vision Therapist or Specialist Employment Estimates

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 130,400 jobs in the United States for Low Vision Therapist, Orientation and Mobility Specialist, or Vision Rehabilitation Therapist. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 23.8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 31,000 new jobs for Low Vision Therapist, Orientation and Mobility Specialist, or Vision Rehabilitation Therapist by 2026. The BLS estimates 10,200 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Vision Therapist or Specialist are Utah, Arizona, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Kansas, Rhode Island, or Minnesota. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Salary for a Vision Therapist or Specialist

The salary for Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists ranges between about $55,490 and $120,750 a year.

Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists who work in California, New Jersey, or Nevada, make the highest salaries.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists in different U.S. states.

State	Annual Mean Salary
Alabama	$83,810
Alaska	$86,860
Arizona	$94,800
Arkansas	$81,810
California	$95,160
Colorado	$89,770
Connecticut	$90,780
Delaware	$86,020
District of Columbia	$94,360
Florida	$81,520
Georgia	$82,060
Hawaii	$83,010
Idaho	$81,230
Illinois	$83,940
Indiana	$79,870
Iowa	$80,740
Kansas	$78,720
Kentucky	$79,460
Louisiana	$85,490
Maine	$72,160
Maryland	$89,230
Massachusetts	$87,160
Michigan	$77,940
Minnesota	$74,050
Mississippi	$81,590
Missouri	$75,120
Montana	$74,940
Nebraska	$76,850
Nevada	$100,970
New Hampshire	$79,850
New Jersey	$96,600
New Mexico	$81,660
New York	$88,370
North Carolina	$84,390
North Dakota	$67,420
Ohio	$85,720
Oklahoma	$82,240
Oregon	$90,720
Pennsylvania	$81,030
Rhode Island	$83,600
South Carolina	$78,470
South Dakota	$69,390
Tennessee	$84,870
Texas	$89,360
Utah	$85,300
Vermont	$76,840
Virginia	$93,010
Washington	$81,250
West Virginia	$81,080
Wisconsin	$73,390
Wyoming	$82,010

What Tools & Technology do Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists may use on a daily basis:

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft Access
• Internet browser software

How to Become a Vision Therapist or Specialist

Individuals working as a Low Vision Therapist, Orientation and Mobility Specialist, or Vision Rehabilitation Therapist have obtained the following education levels:

What work experience do I need to become a Vision Therapist or Specialist?

Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists Sector

The table below shows the approximate number of Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists employed by various industries.

Related Careers

Those interested in being a Low Vision Therapist, Orientation and Mobility Specialist, or Vision Rehabilitation Therapist may also be interested in:

• Hospitalists

References:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics
• College Factual
• O*NET Online

Image Credit: Barbara E. Carver via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

More about our data sources and methodologies.