Quick answer: Optometrists and Orthoptists are notably more stress-exposed than most Australian occupations — ranked #77 of 317 by workplace mental health hazard exposure, with a composite stress score of 51.6/100 against a national average of 47.4. The biggest drivers are precision and monotony and responsibility burden.
Optometrists and Orthoptists stress profile vs the national average
Each occupation is scored across six categories of workplace mental health hazard, built from 22 stress factors identified in SafeWork Australia's occupational hazards data. Higher scores mean greater exposure.
- Emotional demands46.2 vs 37.9 avg
- Responsibility burden68.8 vs 60 avg
- Pace and demands60.4 vs 56 avg
- Lack of control11.4 vs 24.5 avg
- Precision and monotony83.9 vs 67.7 avg
- Physical environment39.1 vs 38.2 avg
Scores range 0–100; higher = more stress-inducing. Source: SafeWork Australia Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset.
What drives the score for optometrists and orthoptists
Compared with the average Australian occupation, optometrists and orthoptists score furthest above the norm on precision and monotony (83.9 vs 67.7 average), responsibility burden (68.8 vs 60 average) and emotional demands (46.2 vs 37.9 average). The single biggest individual stress factor is importance of being exact or accurate at 94/100 — against an all-occupation average of 78.6.
The occupation scores below the national average for lack of control (11.4 vs 24.5), which moderates the overall ranking.
See how this compares across all 317 Australian occupations, ranked by stress score.
The biggest stress factors for optometrists and orthoptists
- 1Precision and monotony
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
94/100
All-occupation average: 78.6
- 2Physical environment
Physical Proximity
90/100
All-occupation average: 61.1
- 3Pace and demands
Frequency of Decision Making
88.8/100
All-occupation average: 70.7
- 4Responsibility burden
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
83.2/100
All-occupation average: 70.4
- 5Pace and demands
Time Pressure
76.2/100
All-occupation average: 71.6
All 22 stress factors for optometrists and orthoptists
The complete scorecard: every stress factor measured for this occupation, grouped into the six categories, with the all-occupation average alongside.
Emotional demands
46.2 vs 37.9 avg- Deal With Physically Aggressive People16.8 vs 14
- Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People61.2 vs 50.4
- Frequency of Conflict Situations60.8 vs 49.3
Responsibility burden
68.8 vs 60 avg- Responsibility for Outcomes and Results64.5 vs 58.5
- Responsible for Others' Health and Safety71.2 vs 57.3
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results83.2 vs 70.4
- Consequence of Error55 vs 49
- Coordinate or Lead Others69.8 vs 64.9
Pace and demands
60.4 vs 56 avg- Time Pressure76.2 vs 71.6
- Duration of Typical Work Week64.5 vs 62.1
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment8.8 vs 23.1
- Frequency of Decision Making88.8 vs 70.7
- Level of Competition63.8 vs 52.4
Lack of control
11.4 vs 24.5 avg- Lack of Autonomy to Make Decisions7.2 vs 23.6
- Amount of Highly Structured Work15.5 vs 25.3
Precision and monotony
83.9 vs 67.7 avg- Importance of Repeating Same Tasks73.8 vs 56.9
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate94 vs 78.6
Physical environment
39.1 vs 38.2 avg- Sounds and Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable13 vs 52.3
- Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting17.8 vs 24.9
- Very Hot or Cold Temperatures0 vs 32.4
- Exposed to Disease or Infections75 vs 20.2
- Physical Proximity90 vs 61.1
Understand these hazards
The elevated stress categories for optometrists and orthoptists map to recognised psychosocial work factors under ISO 45003 and Australian WHS legislation. Learn what each one is and how it can be controlled:
- Exposure to Violence →Whether workers face the risk of physical or verbal aggression at work.
- Exposure to Trauma →Whether workers encounter traumatic events or material as part of their role.
- Work Interaction →The quality of relationships and interactions within the team and organisation.
- Work Demands →The volume, pace, and complexity of what is asked of workers.
- Role Clarity →Whether workers clearly understand what is expected of them.
- Leadership →The quality and consistency of management behaviour at all levels.
Methodology
Clearhead scored 317 occupations in the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) using SafeWork Australia's Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset. We kept only the 22 hazard variables relating to mental health — such as conflict exposure, decision-making pressure, and time pressure — and deliberately excluded physical safety risks like working at height.
The 22 variables are grouped into six categories: emotional demands, responsibility burden, pace and demands, lack of control, precision and monotony, and physical environment. An occupation's composite score is the equally weighted average of its six category scores. All scores run 0–100, where higher means more stress-inducing.
Two control-related variables are reported by SafeWork with inverted polarity (“freedom to make decisions” and “structured versus unstructured work”). We reverse these and present them as lack of autonomy to make decisions and amount of highly structured work, so that a higher score consistently indicates greater stress exposure.
Hazard exposure describes the average conditions of an occupation, not any individual's experience — everyone has a different tolerance for these challenges, and conditions vary between workplaces.
Frequently asked questions
Optometrists and Orthoptists: how stressful is the job?
Optometrists and Orthoptists rank #77 out of 317 Australian occupations for workplace mental health hazards, with a composite stress score of 51.6/100 against a national average of 47.4. That makes the occupation more stress-exposed than 75.7% of Australian jobs.
What are the biggest mental health stress factors for optometrists and orthoptists?
The highest-scoring hazards are importance of being exact or accurate (94/100), physical proximity (90/100) and frequency of decision making (88.8/100). Overall, the occupation scores above the national average in emotional demands, responsibility burden, pace and demands, precision and monotony and physical environment.
Which stress factors are lower for optometrists and orthoptists?
Optometrists and Orthoptists score below the national average for lack of control (11.4 vs 24.5 average), which partially offsets the higher-scoring hazards.
Where does this data come from?
Scores are derived from SafeWork Australia's Beta Occupational Hazards Dataset. Clearhead filtered the dataset to the 22 mental-health-related hazard variables — excluding physical safety risks — and scored 317 ANZSCO occupations across six categories: emotional demands, responsibility burden, pace and demands, lack of control, precision and monotony, and physical environment.
Beyond the average
This is the average hazard exposure for optometrists and orthoptists. Your workforce isn't average.
Clearhead's Psychosocial Risk Pulse measures the actual psychosocial risk in your organisation, quarterly — across 18 ISO 45003-aligned work factors.