Certified ophthalmic assistant vs certified medical technician

The differences between certified ophthalmic assistants and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a certified ophthalmic assistant, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a certified ophthalmic assistant has an average salary of $42,724, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.

The top three skills for a certified ophthalmic assistant include patients, patient care and ophthalmology. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

Certified ophthalmic assistant vs certified medical technician overview

	Certified Ophthalmic Assistant	Certified Medical Technician
Yearly salary	$42,724	$38,859
Hourly rate	$20.54	$18.68
Growth rate	16%	5%
Number of jobs	74,716	164,424
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 35%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age	41	44
Years of experience	2	12

Certified ophthalmic assistant vs certified medical technician salary

Certified ophthalmic assistants and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Certified Ophthalmic Assistant	Certified Medical Technician
Average salary	$42,724	$38,859
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $61,000	Between $28,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	Vancouver, WA	Denton, TX
Highest paying state	Washington	Alaska
Best paying company	Horizon Laser Vision	Favorite Healthcare Staffing
Best paying industry	Technology	Health Care

Differences between certified ophthalmic assistant and certified medical technician education

There are a few differences between a certified ophthalmic assistant and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:

	Certified Ophthalmic Assistant	Certified Medical Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 35%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common major	Business	Nursing
Most common college	-	University of Connecticut

Certified ophthalmic assistant vs certified medical technician demographics

Here are the differences between certified ophthalmic assistants' and certified medical technicians' demographics:

	Certified Ophthalmic Assistant	Certified Medical Technician
Average age	41	44
Gender ratio	Male, 10.5% Female, 89.5%	Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 14.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 5.8% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 15.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 10.0% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	6%	8%

Differences between certified ophthalmic assistant and certified medical technician duties and responsibilities

Certified ophthalmic assistant example responsibilities.

Perform documentation and manage troubleshooting activities with the Compulink EHR software.
Check angles, Intraocular pressure by application and tonopen.
Screen patients in a general ophthalmology and optometry practice.
Perform contrast sensitivity, corneal topography, pachymetry, and Fundus photography.
Specialize in patient education to inform patients of their diagnosis, conditions and procedures and/or surgical interventions need.
Check IOP using an applanator or tonopen.

Certified medical technician example responsibilities.

Maintain the cleanliness of storage areas, trays, centrifuges, refrigerators, freezers and work area.
Administer medications to patients according to their medication record as scheduled, as needed according to physician orders.
Perform laboratory test and procedures in areas including chemistry, hematology, urinalysis, coagulation, serology, and bacteriology.
Perform first aid and apply CPR when necessary.
Perform first aid or CPR during medical emergencies until paramedics arrive.
Assist the residents in their ADL needs and prepare their meals.

Certified ophthalmic assistant vs certified medical technician skills

Common certified ophthalmic assistant skills

Patients, 18%
Patient Care, 8%
Ophthalmology, 6%
COA, 5%
Triage, 4%
Visual Acuity, 4%

Common certified medical technician skills

Patients, 17%
Vital Signs, 12%
CPR, 8%
Administer Medications, 7%
Resident Care, 6%
HIPAA, 6%

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Certified Ophthalmic Assistant
Certified Ophthalmic Assistant vs Certified Medical Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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