AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 29-1241.00
Will AI replace Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric?
Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric: AI can already handle 3 of 18 tasks; the work mostly needs a frontier-tier model.
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Every task, scored
The 18 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric, from most to least exposed. 3 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.
| Task | AI exposure | Evidence | Model tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document or evaluate patients' medical histories. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Perform, order, or interpret the results of diagnostic or clinical tests. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Provide ophthalmic consultation to other medical professionals. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Perform comprehensive examinations of the visual system to determine the nature or extent of ocular disorders. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Provide or direct the provision of postoperative care. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Perform ophthalmic surgeries such as cataract, glaucoma, refractive, corneal, vitro-retinal, eye muscle, or oculoplastic surgeries. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Educate patients about maintenance and promotion of healthy vision. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Refer patients for more specialized treatments when conditions exceed the experience, expertise, or scope of practice of practitioner. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Perform laser surgeries to alter, remove, reshape, or replace ocular tissue. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams of health professionals to provide optimal patient care. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Instruct interns, residents, or others in ophthalmologic procedures and techniques. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Conduct clinical or laboratory-based research in ophthalmology. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Develop or implement plans and procedures for ophthalmologic services. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Develop treatment plans based on patients' histories and goals, the nature and severity of disorders, and treatment risks and benefits. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Diagnose or treat injuries, disorders, or diseases of the eye and eye structures including the cornea, sclera, conjunctiva, or eyelids. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Prescribe or administer topical or systemic medications to treat ophthalmic conditions and to manage pain. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Prescribe corrective lenses such as glasses or contact lenses. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Prescribe ophthalmologic treatments or therapies such as chemotherapy, cryotherapy, or low vision therapy. | Estimated | No tier |
Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 18 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 18 of 18. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.
The model tier this role needs
A frontier-tier model or lower covers 77% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 77% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 23% is hands-on.
Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.
Wages, employment and outlook
- US employment
- 8,950
- Median annual wage
- $300,080
- Middle half of earners
- $173,650 to $421,530
- Projected change, 2024 to 2034
- +4.3%
Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.
Adjacent roles
The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.
- Optometrists 77% skill overlap, about 8 months to move Exposure37
- Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric 70% skill overlap, about 11 months to move Exposure48
- Orthoptists 68% skill overlap, about 12 months to move Exposure46
- Ophthalmic Medical Technicians 67% skill overlap, about 12 months to move Exposure32
- Ophthalmic Medical Technologists 67% skill overlap, about 12 months to move Exposure71
Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.
Questions about Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric and AI
Will AI replace Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric?
AI already handles 3 of the 18 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 46 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by +4.3% from 2024 to 2034.
What is the AI exposure of Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric?
46 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 0 of the 18 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 18 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.
Which Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric tasks can AI already do?
The tasks with the highest exposure are: Document or evaluate patients' medical histories; Perform, order, or interpret the results of diagnostic or clinical tests; Provide ophthalmic consultation to other medical professionals. They are the tasks that reach 60 or more.
What AI model tier does this role need?
A frontier-tier model or lower covers 77% of the role's importance-weighted task work, and 23% is hands-on work that no model tier covers. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.
How many people work as Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric, and what do they earn?
8,950 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $300,080 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +4.3% from 2024 to 2034.
How to cite
Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.
JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/ophthalmologists-except-pediatric
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