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Ocularists are ophthalmic technicians who typically work in tertiary eye hospitals’ oculoplastics departments. They are responsible for preparing, providing, fitting, and maintaining ocular or orbital prostheses. Improving eye and face aesthetics benefits the patient’s personality, self-confidence, self-esteem, and health-related quality of life. As a result, their contribution as oculoplastic department team members is significant. Ocularists work with patients with congenital orbit/eye anomalies and those with the globe removed due to trauma, tumor, or painful blinding disease. This blog will outline some of their job responsibilities, including patient interaction, the scope, and duties.
| Job Title | Ocularist |
| Description | Construct, fit, customize, and maintain artificial eyes |
| Certifications/Education | Certification by the National Examining Board of Ocularists |
| Necessary Skills | Artistic, Compassionate, Creative |
| Potential Employers | Artificial eye laboratories, Optometry offices |
| Average Annual Pay | ₹10.31 Lakhs |
Table of Contents
Must Read: How to Become an Ophthalmic Technician?
Ocularist: Profession Overview
An ocularist is responsible for fabricating and fitting patients’ ocular prostheses. An ocularist’s responsibilities include creating artificial eyes based on each patient’s eye specifications, recording data, and maintaining ocular prostheses. To be a successful ocularist, you must have exceptional manual dexterity, creativity, and compassion. Finally, a top-tier ocularist should have strong interpersonal skills as well as knowledge of ocular anatomy.
Roles and Responsibilities
The major responsibilities of an Ocularist are listed below:
- Creating and personalizing ocular prostheses.
- Making eye socket impressions.
- Putting in and keeping ocular prosthetics in place.
- Educating patients on how to care for their prosthetics.
- Keeping track of patient information.
Must Read: How to Become an Optometrist in India?
Skills Required
Here are the skills required that helps you become a good Ocularist:
- Manual Dexterity
- Strength and Stamina
- Patience
- Mechanical Skills
- Creativity
- Decision-making skills
Eligibility Requirements
- Educational Qualifications: You must have a high school diploma and be at least 18 years old to be considered for an apprenticeship. Completing science, sculpting, painting, and applied psychology courses can help your candidature.
- Apprenticeship: You must complete 10,000 hours of practical training over five to seven years after finding an Ocularist to train you. During this time, you will learn how to make an impression of the eye socket, set an acrylic model of the eye, fit the model to the patient, and hand-paint the prosthesis, including the white of the eye, pupil, and iris.
- Exams: You will be examined on the following subjects as an apprentice regularly: materials, fitting theory, processing, manufacturing techniques, sclera and iris coloring techniques, orbital anatomy and physiology, office hygiene, communication techniques, and patient care. To help you get ready for the National Examining Board of Ocularists exams, which you must pass to get certified, these sessions include lectures and workshops.
Must Read: How to Become an Optician in India?
Top Institutes in India
Ocularists in India are trained at various institutes and are registered with the Indian Society of Ocularists. Among the well-known training, facilities are
- LVPrasad eye institute, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh,
- Arvind eye care system, Pondicherry
- Chinmaya Ocular Prosthetics
Salary Range
The average gross pay for ocularists in India is ₹10,32,276 or ₹496 per hour. Also, they receive a bonus of ₹22,194 on average. Salary estimates are based on data from anonymous Indian employees and employers via wage surveys. The typical wage for an entry-level ocularist (1-3 years of experience) is ₹7,40,051. A senior-level ocularist (8+ years of experience) makes an average salary of ₹12,98,823, on the other hand.
Must Read: How to Become an Ophthalmologist in India?
FAQs
Ans. Ocularists must pass the National Examining Board of Ocularists (NEBO) certification tests after completing the ASO program. These qualifications demonstrate that the ocularist is well-versed in both the art and science of ocularists. Everyone who needs prosthetic eyes will look for an ocularist.
Ans. An ocularist is a trained technician who specializes in fitting a patient with a prosthetic eye after an ophthalmologist has managed the patient. Ocularists are trained in assessing the orbit’s condition, fabricating and fitting a cosmetic ocular prosthesis, and monitoring the prosthesis and related tissues on a regular basis.
Ans. In India, the average cost of a stock eye is between Rs 500 and Rs 4000, while a custom-made prosthetic eye can cost up to Rs 30000 or more.
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