By Aliza Beth 
I’ll be honest—until about two years ago, I never really thought about my eyes. They worked fine, so why would I? Then came a stretch of brutal headaches, blurry evening vision, and that gritty, tired feeling no amount of sleep could fix. My optometrist took one look at my daily routine (ten-plus hours of screen time between work and downtime) and said something that stuck with me: “You’re not unusual anymore. You’re the norm.”
That conversation sent me down a rabbit hole into a health crisis that’s hiding in plain sight—and the workforce scramble happening behind the scenes to deal with it.
The Digital Eye Strain Epidemic Nobody Talks About
The Vision Council reports that nearly 60 percent of American adults experience symptoms of digital eye strain. That number has been climbing steadily, and it makes sense when you consider how life has shifted. Remote work didn’t just change where we sit—it changed how long we stare at glowing rectangles. Add smartphones, tablets, streaming, and doomscrolling, and our eyes barely catch a break from sunrise to well past midnight.
Symptoms range from the mildly annoying—dry eyes, occasional headaches—to the genuinely disruptive: chronic neck pain, difficulty focusing on distant objects, and even insomnia triggered by blue light exposure. Kids aren’t immune either. Pediatric ophthalmologists are seeing a spike in myopia cases among children who spent their formative years learning through screens during the pandemic.
More Patients, More Clinics, Not Enough Staff
Here’s the part of the story most wellness articles skip over: who actually takes care of all these patients? Ophthalmologists and optometrists don’t work alone. Behind every eye exam, every pre-surgical screening, and every set of diagnostic images, there’s usually a Certified Ophthalmic Assistant doing the groundwork.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment for ophthalmic medical technicians will grow faster than average through the end of this decade. Eye clinics are expanding into suburban areas and retail spaces, and each new location needs trained support staff yesterday. Walk into any busy ophthalmology practice and you’ll feel the energy—and the understaffing.
Why the COA Credential Matters More Than Ever
As our world becomes increasingly digital, the professionals who help us preserve our vision have become essential pillars of the community. For anyone looking to join this vital sector, the path begins with a rigorous certification process that tests everything from patient history-taking to surgical assisting. To navigate the complexities of the initial exam, many students recommend taking a COA practice test. It provides a realistic preview of the 19 subject areas tested, ensuring that the next generation of eye care experts is ready to meet the challenges of our modern, visually demanding lifestyle.
The certification isn’t a formality. It covers everything from lensometry and tonometry to pharmacology and ocular motility. Passing it signals to employers and patients alike that an assistant can handle real clinical responsibilities with confidence.
A Career Worth Watching
What makes this career path appealing goes beyond job security. There’s a tangible human element to the work. You’re helping a grandmother see her grandchild’s face clearly for the first time in years. You’re catching early signs of glaucoma before irreversible damage sets in. The work matters in a deeply personal way that many healthcare-adjacent careers can’t quite match.
The next time you catch yourself rubbing your eyes after a marathon Zoom session or squinting at your phone in bed, remember: there’s an entire ecosystem of professionals working to keep your vision intact. And right now, that ecosystem is growing fast—because it has to.