Optometrists

Optometrists score 30 out of 100, which is moderate exposure to AI. That ranks #525 of 923 US occupations, where #1 is the most exposed. Of the 10 tasks in this job, AI could speed up 0 on its own and 6 more with extra software built on top of it. In April–May 2026, 1 of these tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, Anthropic's AI assistant.

30/ 100

Moderate

Rank: #525of 923 jobs
US workers: 42,790BLS, May 2025
Median pay: $136,570a year
In real AI use: 1 of 10tasks, April–May 2026

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Task by task

Each task this job involves, as listed by O*NET, rated on whether a large language model like GPT-4 could cut the time it takes by at least half at the same quality. Tasks marked Seen in real AI use appeared in conversations with Claude in April–May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index).

AI can speed this up on its own: 0 (0%)
AI can speed this up with extra software: 6 (60%)
Little or no AI speed-up: 4 (40%)

Analyze test results and develop a treatment plan.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task · Seen in real AI use
Prescribe medications to treat eye diseases if state laws permit.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Educate and counsel patients on contact lens care, visual hygiene, lighting arrangements, and safety factors.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Provide patients undergoing eye surgeries, such as cataract and laser vision correction, with pre- and post-operative care.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Consult with and refer patients to ophthalmologist or other health care practitioner if additional medical treatment is determined necessary.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Prescribe therapeutic procedures to correct or conserve vision.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Examine eyes, using observation, instruments, and pharmaceutical agents, to determine visual acuity and perception, focus, and coordination and to diagnose diseases and other abnormalities, such as glaucoma or color blindness.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Prescribe, supply, fit and adjust eyeglasses, contact lenses, and other vision aids.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Remove foreign bodies from the eye.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Provide vision therapy and low-vision rehabilitation.Little or no AI speed-up · core task

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Questions about optometrists and AI

Will AI replace optometrists?

Unlikely. Most of the work is hard for today's AI to speed up. Optometrists score 30 out of 100 (moderate exposure), #525 of 923 US jobs. AI could speed up 6 of the job's 10 tasks, 0 of them on its own, while 4 see little or no speed-up. Exposure means the work is likely to change, not that the job will disappear.

Which optometrists tasks can AI do?

The most exposed tasks include "Analyze test results and develop a treatment plan"; "Prescribe medications to treat eye diseases if state laws permit"; "Educate and counsel patients on contact lens care, visual hygiene, lighting arrangements, and safety factors".

Which optometrists tasks are hardest for AI?

Tasks with little or no AI speed-up include "Examine eyes, using observation, instruments, and pharmaceutical agents, to determine visual acuity and perception, focus, and coordination and to diagnose diseases and other abnormalities, such as glaucoma or color blindness"; "Prescribe, supply, fit and adjust eyeglasses, contact lenses, and other vision aids"; "Remove foreign bodies from the eye".

Are people already using AI for this work?

Yes. In April–May 2026, 1 of the 10 tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, according to the Anthropic Economic Index.

How many people work as optometrists, and what do they earn?

About 42,790 people in the US, with median pay of $136,570 a year (BLS, May 2025).

How to read this score. Exposure measures how much of the work AI could speed up, not whether the job will disappear. A highly exposed job can change shape, with people spending less time on routine tasks and more on the rest. The score counts tasks AI can speed up on its own in full, and tasks that need extra software at half weight.

The ratings come from published research based on GPT-4 (2023). To show what's happening now, each task is also checked against the latest Anthropic Economic Index, which records which tasks people actually use AI for. That data is refreshed automatically when Anthropic publishes a new release. Read the full method.