 Specialty
Areas
Ophthalmic medical
assistants, optometric assistants, and podiatric medical assistants are
examples of specialized medical assistants who have additional duties.
 Ophthalmic
Medical Assistants
Ophthalmic medical
assistants help
ophthalmologists provide eye care. They conduct diagnostic tests,
measure and record vision, and test eye muscle function. They also show
patients how to insert, remove, and care for contact lenses, and they
apply eye dressings. Under the direction of the physician, ophthalmic
medical assistants may administer eye medications. They also maintain
optical and surgical instruments and may assist the ophthalmologist in
surgery.
Optometric
Medical Assistants
Optometric medical assistants
also help provide eye care, working with
optometrists. They
provide chair-side assistance, instruct patients about contact lens use
and care, conduct preliminary tests on patients, and otherwise provide
assistance while working directly with an optometrist.
Podiatric
Medical Assistants
Podiatric medical
assistants make castings of feet, expose and develop x rays, and assist
podiatrists in surgery.
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by the US Department
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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