Certified ophthalmic technician vs paraoptometric

The differences between certified ophthalmic technicians and paraoptometrics can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a certified ophthalmic technician and a paraoptometric. Additionally, a certified ophthalmic technician has an average salary of $43,658, which is higher than the $34,505 average annual salary of a paraoptometric.

The top three skills for a certified ophthalmic technician include patients, ophthalmology and color vision. The most important skills for a paraoptometric are patients, scheduling appointments, and patient history.

Certified ophthalmic technician vs paraoptometric overview

	Certified Ophthalmic Technician	Paraoptometric
Yearly salary	$43,658	$34,505
Hourly rate	$20.99	$16.59
Growth rate	16%	16%
Number of jobs	49,836	828
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Bachelor's Degree, 32%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	2	2

Certified ophthalmic technician vs paraoptometric salary

Certified ophthalmic technicians and paraoptometrics have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Certified Ophthalmic Technician	Paraoptometric
Average salary	$43,658	$34,505
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $62,000	Between $26,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between certified ophthalmic technician and paraoptometric education

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

	Certified Ophthalmic Technician	Paraoptometric
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 43%	Bachelor's Degree, 32%
Most common major	Biology	Health Care Administration
Most common college	-	-

Certified ophthalmic technician vs paraoptometric demographics

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

	Certified Ophthalmic Technician	Paraoptometric
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 15.9% Female, 84.1%	Male, 8.8% Female, 91.2%
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, 14.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 5.8% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between certified ophthalmic technician and paraoptometric duties and responsibilities

Certified ophthalmic technician example responsibilities.

Assess patients and document medical history.
Have used the goldmann, tonopen and the Perkins hand hold tonometer.
Perform examinations and interviews with patients.
Obtain intraocular pressure by applanation tonomentry or tonopen.
Perform clinic work-ups/manifest refraction utilizing EMR, program and maintain laser equipment, clinical photography, and assist physicians during surgeries.
Comply with all HIPAA regulations regarding patient information.

Paraoptometric example responsibilities.

Utilize organization skills in managing business operation keeping Dr. Rivera on schedule.
Follow strict HIPAA privacy protocols inpatient record management and use.
Aid the doctor during the exam and document the findings in the EHR.
Communicate relevant information on care and handling of contact lenses and educate patients on proper insertion and removal of contact lenses.
Preform detailed pretesting of all incoming patients.
Perform clinic work-ups/manifest refraction utilizing EMR, program and maintain laser equipment, clinical photography, and assist physicians during surgeries.

Certified ophthalmic technician vs paraoptometric skills

Common certified ophthalmic technician skills

Patients, 18%
Ophthalmology, 7%
Color Vision, 6%
Visual Acuity, 5%
Visual Fields, 5%
Allergies, 5%

Common paraoptometric skills

Patients, 38%
Scheduling Appointments, 6%
Patient History, 5%
Visual Acuity, 4%
Blood Pressure, 4%
Medical History, 4%

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Certified Ophthalmic Technician
Certified Ophthalmic Technician vs Paraoptometric

Updated January 8, 2025

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