Most commonly reported Work Activities

• Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing 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, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Training and Teaching Others Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
• Thinking Creatively Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

The Work

A Vision Rehabilitation Therapists (also known as Orientation and Mobility officers) first task is to assess the orientation and mobility needs of a person with vision impairment and to plan, deliver, monitor and regularly review the individual's training programme.

The programme can incorporate:

• Teaching a person to maximise use of their usable vision
• Body, spatial and environmental awareness
• Use of sensory clues
• Orientation and mobility skills within the home, work and school or college
• Road safety awareness
• Independent travel skills

Mobility officer's work on a one-to-one basis with a person with vision impairment, giving advice and guidance.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Teach cane skills, including cane use with a guide, diagonal techniques, and two-point touches.
• Recommend appropriate mobility devices or systems, such as human guides, dog guides, long canes, electronic travel aids (ETAs), and other adaptive mobility devices (AMDs).
• 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).
• Develop rehabilitation or instructional plans collaboratively with clients, based on results of assessments, needs, and goals.
• Write reports or complete forms to document assessments, training, progress, or follow-up outcomes.
• Train clients to use tactile, auditory, kinesthetic, olfactory, and proprioceptive information.
• Assess clients' functioning in areas such as vision, orientation and mobility skills, social and emotional issues, cognition, physical abilities, and personal goals.
• Teach clients to travel independently, using a variety of actual or simulated travel situations or exercises.
• Teach self-advocacy skills to clients.
• Provide consultation, support, or education to groups such as parents and teachers.

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

Social

The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.

Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.

Investigative

The Investigative person will usually find a particular area of science to be of interest. They are inclined toward intellectual and analytical activities and enjoy observation and theory. They may prefer thought to action, and enjoy the challenge of solving problems with sophiscticated technology. These types prefer mentally stimulating environments and often pay close attention to developments in their chosen field.

Realist

Realists are usually interested in 'things' - such as buildings, mechanics, equipment, tools, electronics etc. Their primary focus is dealing with these - as in building, fixing, operating or designing them. Involvement in these areas leads to high manual skills, or a fine aptitude for practical design - as found in the various forms of engineering.

Realists like to find practical solutions to problems using tools, technology and skilled work. Realists usually prefer to be active in their work environment, often do most of their work alone, and enjoy taking decisive action with a minimum amount of discussion and paperwork.

Working in Vision Rehab support & intervention may take a few career paths. These range from optical intervention & diagnosis to Lifeskills and care management. 

• Optometry
• Occuaptional Therapy
• Rehabilitative support worker/ Social care worker

in Ireland, you need to be registered with the CORU’s Optical Registration board or Healthcare section and to do this you need to complete an approved qualification. 

FET PLC Courses: Occupational Therapist Asst & Studies, Rehabilitative Therapy, Rehabilitative Therapy Assistant, Applied Social Care at NFQ Levels 5-6 Search FET PLC Courses

Higher Education CAO Entry Optometry, Health Science with Occupational Therapy Studies, Occupational Therapy Search CAO courses

Training & Development

Association of Optometrists Ireland (AOI) is the professional representative body for the vast majority of practising optometrists in Ireland. Through your membership you can stay up to date on developments in the field, access further training and build up contacts in the sector.

While there is a shortage in Ireland, some may still want to work abroad. Irish registered Optometrists can 7work in the UK and in order to work in other countries, you may be required to undertake additional national certification test and/or an adaption period.

You can also pursue a career in research, and TU Dublin’s Centre for Eye Research Ireland offers postgraduate opportunities in this field.

National Council for the Blind of Ireland offers a courses in Vision Rehab. The overall aim of the VIMRET course is to develop students' skills, which are key to successful rehabilitative training, and to provide them with the knowledge, skills and competencies required to work directly with people with vision impairments in a teaching capacity. This aim is achieved through an applied programme of theoretical study and practical experience.

Studying abroad 

Postgraduate UCAS Optometry & Vision Science - Research Search UCAS

Studying in Europe Optometry Latvia & Hungary Search Eunicas 

Royal National Institute for the Blind RNIB School of Rehabilitation Studies based at the University of Central England in Birmingham UK, offers training qualifications in rehabilitation with people with vision impairments.  

Last Updated: April, 2023

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €30k - €75k

Salaries vary based on employer, location, experience, duties, and role.

Data Source(s):
Indeed/ Payscale/ Salary Expert/ Salary explorer/ HSE

Last Updated: July, 2024

* The lower figures typically reflect starting salaries. Higher salaries are awarded to those with greater experience and responsibility. Positions in Dublin sometimes command higher salaries.

View Salary information from Indeed.ie
Note: data not aways available

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

Employment growth was strong for this occupation, particularly between 2021 and 2022. Census data shows that employment grew across all roles in this group between 2016 and 2022, with the strongest growth for pharmaceutical technicans.

The number of online job adverts for pharmaceutical technicians grew strongly in 2022 (+14%); skills in demand included, among others pharmaceutical knowledge, the ability to provide customer service & advice, and business skills, such as product sales.

A small number of employment permits were issued in 2022 for cardiac physiologists and paramedics. The available data sources do not signal any issues in relation to supply and demand for health associate professional occupations; however, if employment was to continue to increase, recruitment issues may emerge.

• National Council for Blind of Ireland

  • PV Doyle House, Whitworth Road, Dublin 9
  • (01) 830 7033
  • Click Here