Occupation Summary

Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists

O*NET 29-1122.01

Description:

Provide therapy to patients with visual impairments to improve their functioning in daily life activities. May train patients in activities such as computer use, communication skills, or home management skills.

Annual Wages:
$101,612.00
Employment Rate:
Employment is expected to increase by 19.96%.
Education Level:
Master's Degree. According to O*Net, the majority of people employed in this occupation have this level of education.
Endorsement:
Public Service, Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM)

  1. Teach cane skills, including cane use with a guide, diagonal techniques, and two-point touches.
  2. Refer clients to services, such as eye care, health care, rehabilitation, and counseling, to enhance visual and life functioning or when condition exceeds scope of practice.
  3. Provide consultation, support, or education to groups such as parents and teachers.
  4. Participate in professional development activities, such as reading literature, continuing education, attending conferences, and collaborating with colleagues.
  5. Obtain, distribute, or maintain low vision devices.
  6. Design instructional programs to improve communication, using devices such as slates and styluses, braillers, keyboards, adaptive handwriting devices, talking book machines, digital books, and optical character readers (OCRs).
  7. Collaborate with specialists, such as rehabilitation counselors, speech pathologists, and occupational therapists, to provide client solutions.
  8. Administer tests and interpret test results to develop rehabilitation plans for clients.
  9. Train clients to read or write Braille.
  10. Teach clients to travel independently, using a variety of actual or simulated travel situations or exercises.
  11. Train clients to use tactile, auditory, kinesthetic, olfactory, and proprioceptive information.
  12. Train clients to use adaptive equipment, such as large print, reading stands, lamps, writing implements, software, and electronic devices.
  13. Monitor clients' progress to determine whether changes in rehabilitation plans are needed.
  14. Write reports or complete forms to document assessments, training, progress, or follow-up outcomes.
  15. Develop rehabilitation or instructional plans collaboratively with clients, based on results of assessments, needs, and goals.
  16. Assess clients' functioning in areas such as vision, orientation and mobility skills, social and emotional issues, cognition, physical abilities, and personal goals.
  17. Train clients with visual impairments to use mobility devices or systems, such as human guides, dog guides, electronic travel aids (ETAs), and other adaptive mobility devices (AMDs).
  18. Identify visual impairments related to basic life skills in areas such as self care, literacy, communication, health management, home management, and meal preparation.
  19. Teach independent living skills or techniques, such as adaptive eating, medication management, diabetes management, and personal management.
  20. Recommend appropriate mobility devices or systems, such as human guides, dog guides, long canes, electronic travel aids (ETAs), and other adaptive mobility devices (AMDs).
  21. Teach self-advocacy skills to clients.


National Industry Employment Patterns


Industry % of Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists employed Annual Growth Rate
Offices of other health practitioners 29 2.31
General medical and surgical hospitals 21.6 0.36
Elementary and secondary schools 12.3 0.00
Home health care services 7.5 1.84
Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities) 7 -0.31
Specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals 6.8 0.91
Offices of physicians 2.6 0.27
Individual and family services 2.2 1.79


Labor Market Information


2023 Statewide average hourly wage $48.85
2023 National average hourly wage $46.54
2022 National employment 139,600
2022 Texas employment 9,004
Texas projected employment by 2032 10,801
Texas projected annual employment and Turnover openings through 2032 716




TEXAS COUNTY MAP BY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AREA
* Due to confidentiality rules, not all regions may have the data displayed. The sum of all the regions may not be equal to the state total.


Top 10 Relevant Knowledge Areas Relevant Importance Levels
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
85.20%
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
83.40%
Psychology
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
76.60%
Transportation
Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
74.00%
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
72.20%
Therapy and Counseling
Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
70.40%
Public Safety and Security
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
67.80%
Sociology and Anthropology
Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
60.00%
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
54.80%
Geography
Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
52.20%


Top 10 Relevant Skill Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
80.00%
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
80.00%
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
80.00%
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
77.60%
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
77.60%
Instructing
Teaching others how to do something.
77.60%
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
77.60%
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
75.00%
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
75.00%
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
75.00%


Top 10 Relevant Abilities Relevant Importance Levels
Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
82.40%
Problem Sensitivity
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
80.00%
Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
80.00%
Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
80.00%
Written Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
77.60%
Speech Clarity
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
75.00%
Speech Recognition
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
72.40%
Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
72.40%
Inductive Reasoning
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
67.60%
Information Ordering
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
67.60%


  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    -- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Assisting and Caring for Others
    -- Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Documenting/Recording Information
    -- Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
    -- Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Getting Information
    -- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Other Activities


  • Achievement
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
  • Relationships
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.



Tools

Anatomical human models for medical education or training: Plastic eye models;

Binocular vision test sets: Worthmore four-dot test devices;

Binoculars: Piano glasses;

Braille devices for the physically challenged: Braille embossers; Braille label makers; Braille laptop computers; Braille personal digital assistants; Braille writers; Tactile maps;

Building blocks: Stacking rings;

Canes: Long canes;

Chart projectors: Illuminated cabinets;

Closed circuit television CCTV system: Closed circuit television monitors;

Computer display glare screens: Anti-glare visors;

Cutting or paring boards for the physically challenged: Slicing guides;

Eye charts or vision cards: Near vision acuity charts; Snellen eye charts; Amsler grids; Astigmatism wheel charts; Bailey-Lovie Acuity Chart; Color discs; Cone adaptation test sets; Contrast sensitivity test cards; Feinbloom distance charts; HOTV charts; Lea crowded symbol books; Lea grating paddles; Lea numbers 10-line distance charts; Lea numbers 15-line distance charts; Lea numbers near vision cards; Lea single presentation flash cards; Lea symbols 10-line distance charts; Lea symbols 15-line distance charts; Lea symbols domino cards; Lea symbols Massachusetts visual acuity test format near vision screeners; Lea symbols near vision cards; Lea symbols playing cards; Lea symbols single symbol books;

Eye occluders: Eye occluders;

Flashlight: Flashlights; Penlights;

Handicraft tools or materials or equipment for the physically challenged: Needle threaders;

Incandescent lamps: Adjustable task lamps;

Keyboards: Large text keyboards;

Lasers: Pointers;

Light enhancing cameras or vision devices: Night scopes;

Magnifiers: Illuminated magnifiers; Monoculars; Stand magnifiers; Handheld magnifiers; Dome magnifiers; Bar magnifiers;

Medical tape measures: Medical measuring tapes;

Optical character recognition systems: Print readers;

Paper or pad holder or dispensers: Copyholders;

Pocket watches: Stop watches;

Rulers: Rulers;

Sloped reading tables: Reading stands;

Stuffed animals or puppets: Finger puppets;

Visual filters: Flashlight color filters;

Writing aids for the physically challenged: Writing guides; Signature guides; Check writing guides; Envelope addressing guides;


Technology

Analytical or scientific software: Arkenstone Atlas Speaks;

Computer based training software: American Printing House for the Blind Talking Typer;

Data base reporting software: Oracle Hyperion;

Data base user interface and query software: Oracle Database; Amazon Web Services AWS software; Microsoft Access;

Development environment software: Ruby;

Device drivers or system software: ZoomWare Screen Magnifier; American Printing House for the Blind Learn Keys; Ai Squared ZoomText; Axistive BigShot Screen Magnifier; Dolphin Lunar; Freedom Scientific MAGic;

Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook;

Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software; Workday software; Oracle NetSuite; Oracle PeopleSoft;

Internet browser software: Internet browser software;

Object or component oriented development software: Python; Oracle Java;

Office suite software: Microsoft Office software;

Operating system software: Operating system software;

Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint;

Process mapping and design software: Microsoft Visio;

Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel;

Word processing software: Microsoft Word;


Related O*NET occupational titles for Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists include:
  • 25-2059.01 Adapted Physical Education Specialists
  • 21-1014.00 Mental Health Counselors
  • 29-1122.00 Occupational Therapists
  • 31-2012.00 Occupational Therapy Aides
  • 31-2011.00 Occupational Therapy Assistants
  • 29-1123.00 Physical Therapists
  • 29-1125.00 Recreational Therapists
  • 21-1015.00 Rehabilitation Counselors
  • 25-2055.00 Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten
  • 29-1127.00 Speech-Language Pathologists


Sources of Additional Information
  • For more information about occupational therapists, visit: American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.
  • For more information about the certification exam for Occupational Therapist, Registered, visit: National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy
  • For information regarding the requirements for practice as an occupational therapist in schools, contact state occupational therapy regulatory agencies.
  • Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists
  • Occupational Therapists

  • Contact Texas Workforce Commission
    Labor Market and Career Information  |  101 E. 15th Street, Annex Room 0252  |  Austin, Texas 78778
    Official Website  |  1-800-822-PLAN (7526)  |  512.936.3200

    ** The information in this report may be derived from many sources like O*NET, BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), OOH (Occupational Outlook Handbook), and Career One Stop.