What is a ophthalmic medical assistant?

Question

Do they need some type of certification to work with an eye doctor? Or can medical assistant work with a eye doctor without a degree in that speciality.

Answer 1

An ophthalmic medical assistant is a Medical Assistant that may run some of the tests done on a patient such as to check for glaucoma which they send a puff of air in to the eye and measure it.  They may also put drops in to the patient's eyes for dilation when they go to check the back of the eye to see the blood vessels.

Depending on the practice they may have a regular Medical Assistant that learns how to do those procedures.  Others may want someone who has gone to school  to get training as an optical tech.