What is an Ophthalmic Photographer?

Ophthalmic photographers take photographs of patients' eyes so that doctors can more easily diagnose eye diseases. They work in tandem with ophthalmologists, who are doctors that treat eye diseases. Ophthalmic photographers need to know how to use specialized photographic equipment that is able to take detailed photos of an eye's inner structure, which you can't exactly do with a regular camera. They use techniques like angiography, tomography, and biomicrography to take photos of patients' eyes. Besides the technical skills needed to take and develop detailed photos, ophthalmic photographers need to have excellent customer service skills to interact with patients and comfort them during stressful eye exams.



At most practices, the minimum requirement to be an ophthalmic photographer is an associate's degree. Some choose to go on to get a bachelor's degree as well. Some ophthalmic photographers get certified by the Ophthalmic Photographers' Society or similar organizations.



Before becoming an ophthalmic photographer, some people work as technicians or photographers' assistants. Once they're qualified, they earn an average salary of $51,594 a year.

What Does an Ophthalmic Photographer Do

There are certain skills that many ophthalmic photographers have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed artistic ability, business skills and computer skills.

How To Become an Ophthalmic Photographer

If you're interested in becoming an ophthalmic photographer, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 66.7% of ophthalmic photographers have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 4.6% of ophthalmic photographers have master's degrees. Even though most ophthalmic photographers have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Learn More About How To Become an Ophthalmic Photographer
Top Ophthalmic Photographer Jobs Near You

Average Salary for an Ophthalmic Photographer

Ophthalmic Photographers in America make an average salary of $51,409 per year or $25 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $72,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $36,000 per year.
Average Ophthalmic Photographer Salary
$51,409 Yearly
$24.72 hourly

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Roles and Types of Ophthalmic Photographer

There are several types of ophthalmic photographer, including:

Photographer

Role:

The Rule of Thirds. Exposure. White Balance. What do these have in common? They're used widely by photographers who are just trying to get the most creative and best angle to perserve a specific image.

Photographers work in a variety of spaces. Sometimes they travel. Some work in studios. Others work in laboratories. While it's not necessary for photographers to have a postsecondary education, many take classes so they understand the art of photography.

  • Average Salary: $33,968
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Producer

Role:

Producers work for the entertainment industry. They secure resources and coordinate logistical arrangements for the making of a film, television show, or theatre performance. They make sure production expenses do not go over the budget, that deliverables are ready on time, and the finished products meet the expectations of investors.

They are responsible for hiring staff, coordinating creative work, preparing and presenting funding applications, monitoring and approving post-production work, and performing managerial tasks such as scheduling, planning work phases, and taking care of the marketing of the completed product.

If you want to be a producer, you should start with a college education in film or theatre or cultural management. It is not obligatory, though. Being a producer is all about finding creative ways to get something done, and there is never one path that always works. Many actors, writers, or other creative people who are now producers just started working on their own personal projects and discovered the know-how along the way.

  • Average Salary: $72,202
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Freelance Photographer

Role:

Freelance Photographers take photos for different purposes. They discuss image requirements with clients and perform research for the shoot. They also arrange photoshoot backgrounds, take and process images. A freelance photographer works for himself and not for someone else. However, you can sell your pictures to anyone. Due to the nature of the job, you are responsible for building your reputations, marketing your work, and actively seeking clients. Additionally, you will write business plans, create budgets, invest in and maintain technical equipment.

Although no formal training is required, most freelance photographers possess a degree in photography. When sorting for clients, a portfolio of high-quality work is more important than academic credentials. Some learn both the technical and creative aspects of the profession as apprentices for veteran photographers. Freelance photographers must possess self-motivation, networking, creativity, technical, and communication skills. They must also be familiar with relevant software. Their working style is affected by the number and types of projects.

The salary of freelance photographers ranges from $33,842 to $48,123, with an average salary of $42,342.

  • Average Salary: $42,949
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree
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States With The Most Ophthalmic Photographer Jobs

Number Of Ophthalmic Photographer Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1California612$62,414
2New York446$63,119
3Texas318$53,454
4Florida237$40,993
5Pennsylvania166$43,335
6Illinois157$52,288
7Ohio151$41,092
8Georgia146$46,509
9Virginia141$46,635
10Massachusetts133$63,185
11Washington118$56,423
12Michigan114$40,060
13North Carolina111$35,607
14Colorado104$55,431
15Maryland95$46,416
16Tennessee93$47,267
17Wisconsin91$48,547
18Minnesota82$58,234
19Missouri81$36,086
20New Jersey79$50,275
21Arizona73$48,783
22Alabama70$47,536
23Utah60$63,361
24Oregon60$50,990
25South Carolina59$41,928
26Connecticut52$58,699
27Louisiana52$43,205
28Oklahoma45$40,926
29Iowa42$35,390
30Arkansas39$50,575
31Indiana39$42,869
32Kentucky31$51,703
33Nebraska30$49,958
34Kansas27$51,024
35Mississippi26$46,504
36Nevada25$37,267
37West Virginia23$53,343
38Idaho18$55,656
39New Hampshire15$56,119
40New Mexico15$56,243
41North Dakota12$52,143
42Alaska11$65,244
43Vermont11$58,636
44Maine11$53,883
45Montana11$50,071
46Hawaii9$53,862
47South Dakota9$48,654
48Rhode Island9$37,119
49Delaware9$35,024
50Wyoming5$59,290

Ophthalmic Photographer Education

Ophthalmic Photographer Majors

Photography
28.4 %
Audiovisual Communications Technologies
14.8 %
Fine Arts
12.3 %

Ophthalmic Photographer Degrees

Bachelors

66.7 %

Associate

18.4 %

Masters

4.6 %

Top Colleges for Ophthalmic Photographers

1. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

2. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

5. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-State Tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

6. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,522

Enrollment

13,760

7. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-State Tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

8. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

9. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

10. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

Top Skills For an Ophthalmic Photographer

The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 29.5% of ophthalmic photographers listed patients on their resume, but soft skills such as artistic ability and business skills are important as well.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Ophthalmic Photographer Resume templates

Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Ophthalmic Photographer templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Ophthalmic Photographer resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

Ophthalmic Photographer Resume
Ophthalmic Photographer Resume
Ophthalmic Photographer Resume
Ophthalmic Photographer Resume
Ophthalmic Photographer Resume
Ophthalmic Photographer Resume
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Ophthalmic Photographer Resume
Ophthalmic Photographer Resume
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Ophthalmic Photographer Resume
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Ophthalmic Photographer Resume
Ophthalmic Photographer Resume

Ophthalmic Photographer diversity

Ophthalmic Photographer Gender Distribution

Female
Female
60%
Male
Male
40%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among ophthalmic photographers, 60.0% of them are women, while 40.0% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among ophthalmic photographers is White, which makes up 65.0% of all ophthalmic photographers.

  • The most common foreign language among ophthalmic photographers is Spanish at 100.0%.

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Top Ophthalmic Photographer Employers

Most Common Employers For Ophthalmic Photographer

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1OCLI$65,408$31.453
2Virginia Eye Institute$64,331$30.932
3New York University$59,066$28.402
4Kresge Eye Institute$56,758$27.292
5Midwest Eye Institute$54,256$26.081
6Texas Associates Insurors$52,708$25.341
7Cincinnati Eye Institute$51,048$24.543
8Emory University$48,960$23.542
9UCHealth$48,658$23.393
10Massachusetts Eye and Ear$48,503$23.321
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Updated April 6, 2023