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

Career Overview

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.

Also Known As

• Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS)
• Orientation and Mobility Specialist (O and M Specialist)
• Vision Rehabilitation Therapist (VRT)
• Visually Impaired Teacher (TVI)

Alternate Job Titles

• Blind Orientation and Mobility Therapist (Blind O and M Therapist)
• Certified Low Vision Therapist (CLVT)
• Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS)
• Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist (CVRT)
• Global Mobility Specialist
• Low Vision Therapist
• Mobility Professional
• Mobility Specialist
• Orientation and Mobility Instructor (O and M Instructor)
• Orientation and Mobility Specialist (O and M Specialist)
• Orientation Specialist
• Rehabilitation Specialist
• Rehabilitation Teacher
• Rehabilitation Therapist
• Students with Visual Impairments Teacher (TVI)

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

• 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.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

• English Language
• Education and Training
• Psychology
• Transportation
• Customer and Personal Service
• Therapy and Counseling

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

1. Active Listening
2. Speaking
3. Learning Strategies
4. Reading Comprehension
5. Social Perceptiveness
6. Instructing
7. Service Orientation
8. Writing
9. Active Learning
10. Monitoring

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

• Oral Expression
• Oral Comprehension
• Problem Sensitivity
• Written Comprehension
• Written Expression
• Speech Clarity
• Deductive Reasoning
• Speech Recognition
• Inductive Reasoning
• Information Ordering

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

• Empathy
• Dependability
• Cooperation
• Optimism
• Sincerity

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

• Relationships
• Achievement
• Independence
• Recognition
• Working Conditions

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: Master's Degree

On-the-Job Training: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months

Education Details: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Experience Required: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

• Amazon Web Services AWS software
• Microsoft Access
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Visio
• Microsoft Word
• Oracle Database
• Oracle Java

Tools & Equipment

• Adjustable task lamps
• Amsler grids
• Anti-glare visors
• Astigmatism wheel charts
• Bailey-Lovie Acuity Chart
• Bar magnifiers
• Braille embossers
• Braille label makers
• Braille laptop computers
• Braille personal digital assistants
• Braille writers
• Check writing guides
• Closed circuit television monitors
• Color discs
• Cone adaptation test sets

Work Environment

• E-Mail
• Freedom to Make Decisions
• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
• Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
• Physical Proximity

Salary & Job Market

Wages reported for the broader Occupational Therapists occupational group (BLS 2024), which includes Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists.

Salary Percentile	Annual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)	$67,090
Median	$98,340
Top Earners (90th percentile)	$129,830

Workers Employed Nationally: 152,280

Related Careers

If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:

---

---

Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.