How to hire an ophthalmic assistant

How to hire an ophthalmic assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step ophthalmic assistant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an ophthalmic assistant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new ophthalmic assistant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an ophthalmic assistant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an ophthalmic assistant, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An ophthalmic assistant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, ophthalmic assistants from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of ophthalmic assistant salaries for various roles:

   Type of Ophthalmic Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Ophthalmic Assistant		$14-29
   Optometric Technician	An optometric technician is responsible for performing administrative and clerical tasks to assist patients with their vision problems and needs. Optometric technicians work in the laboratory, constructing glasses and lenses according to the ophthalmologist's advice... Show more	$11-18
   Ophthalmic Technician	An ophthalmic technician specializes in providing eye care services to patients under the supervision of an ophthalmologist. Among their responsibilities include conducting interviews, taking notes of the patients' symptoms, conducting eye examinations and tests, administering medication, and performing support tasks for ophthalmologists during procedures... Show more	$14-29

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Patient Care
   • Ophthalmology
   • Customer Service
   • Color Vision
   • Triage
   • Visual Acuity
   • Medical History
   • Field Testing
   • Visual Fields
   • Allergies
   • Surgical Instruments
   • Patient Education
   • Exam Rooms

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Experience with IOP, using Tonopen, knowledge of eye drops, emails prescription and refills to pharmacy, for patients.
   • Obtain patient history to include chief complaint, past ocular history medication and allergies.
   • Check intraocular pressure by application and tonopen.
   • Perform OCT, HVF, FA/FP tests.
   • Order labs, MRI, ect as necessary.
   • Perform OCT scans, and Fluorescein Angiograms.

   More ophthalmic assistant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your ophthalmic assistant job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An ophthalmic assistant salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for an ophthalmic assistant in Iowa may be lower than in Hawaii, and an entry-level ophthalmic assistant usually earns less than a senior-level ophthalmic assistant. Additionally, an ophthalmic assistant with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average ophthalmic assistant salary

   $43,217yearly

   $20.78 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level ophthalmic assistant salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 9, 2026

   Average ophthalmic assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$49,117	$24
   2	Oregon	$49,095	$24
   3	California	$47,846	$23
   4	Minnesota	$46,679	$22
   5	Pennsylvania	$46,574	$22
   6	Massachusetts	$46,025	$22
   7	Colorado	$45,540	$22
   8	North Carolina	$44,372	$21
   9	Maryland	$43,956	$21
   10	Ohio	$43,651	$21
   11	Wisconsin	$42,859	$21
   12	Texas	$40,671	$20
   13	North Dakota	$40,000	$19
   14	Missouri	$38,106	$18
   15	Virginia	$37,532	$18
   16	Georgia	$37,286	$18
   17	Kansas	$36,289	$17
   18	Illinois	$36,191	$17

   Average ophthalmic assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Eye Consultants of Atlanta	$62,509	$30.05	6
   2	Horizon Laser Vision	$62,488	$30.04	6
   3	Virginia Eye Institute	$57,564	$27.68	9
   4	Sharp HealthCare	$50,817	$24.43
   5	OSF HealthCare	$50,742	$24.40	3
   6	University of California-Berkeley	$50,103	$24.09	2
   7	Boston Medical Center	$49,196	$23.65	11
   8	Wheaton Eye Clinic	$48,588	$23.36	4
   9	Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation Inc.	$48,518	$23.33	12
   10	Springfield Clinic	$48,087	$23.12	2
   11	Kaiser Permanente	$47,982	$23.07	59
   12	Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center	$47,587	$22.88
   13	Northwestern Medicine	$47,369	$22.77	27
   14	MaineGeneral Health	$46,663	$22.43	4
   15	Pinehurst Surgical Clinic	$46,545	$22.38
   16	UCHealth	$46,461	$22.34	16
   17	PeaceHealth	$46,181	$22.20	14
   18	Retina Consultants of Texas	$45,987	$22.11	28
   19	Virginia Mason Institute	$45,763	$22.00	6
   20	LifePoint Health	$45,710	$21.98	7

4. Writing an ophthalmic assistant job description

   An ophthalmic assistant job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an ophthalmic assistant job description:

   Ophthalmic assistant job description example

   W ork Schedule : 90% FTE, 36 hours per week. Shifts scheduled Monday through Friday. Hours may vary based on the operational needs of the department.

   Pay : UW Health offers a competitive compensation and benefits package. Work experience that is relevant to the position will be taken into consideration when determining the starting base pay. This position is eligible for up to a $3,150 sign-on bonus.

   Be part of something remarkable.

   Join our REMARKABLE Eye Care Team that is nationally recognized for excellence!

   We are currently seeking an Ophthalmic Assistant (Optometric Tech, COA, CPOT, CPOA) to:

   • Become a member of an outstanding team of Ophthalmic Assistants and Ophthalmic Technicians.
   • Work alongside outstanding Physicians, Fellows, Residents and Medical Students.
   • Prepare patients for examinations, perform visual field and other ancillary testing, and provide patient education.

   • Provide a safe and comforting atmosphere for eye care patients of all ages.

   Education :

   Minimum - High School Degree or equivalent

   Preferred - Completed an accredited Ophthalmic/Optometric program, Certified Medical Assistant program, or Licensed Practical Nurse program

   Work Experience :

   Minimum -Six (6) months of customer service experience

   Preferred -One (1) year of experience as a Certified Ophthalmic/Optometric Assistant or Tech, Certified Medical Assistant, or Licensed Practical Nurse

   Licenses and Certifications :

   Minimum - Within 18 months of hire will achieve one of the following certifications:

   • COA, COT, CPOT, CPOA
   • CPR certification or ability to obtain within 90 days of hire

   Preferred -Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA, COT, CPOT, CPOA)

   If LPN, Wisconsin Practical Nurse licensure

   If MA, Certified Medical Assistant (CMA)

   Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

   UW Health is committed to being a diverse, equitable, inclusive and anti-racist workplace and is an Equal Employment Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer. Our integrity shines through in patient care interactions and our daily work practices as we work to embrace the knowledge, unique perspectives and qualities each employee and faculty member brings to work each day. Applications from Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) individuals, LGBTQ+ and non-binary identities, women, persons with disabilities, military service members and veterans are strongly encouraged. EOE, including disability/veterans.

   UW Health Clinics - our physicians and staff are dedicated to providing an exceptional patient and family experience by delivering the highest quality of care in a compassionate environment. With more than 80 primary and specialty care clinics located throughout Dane County and the surrounding areas, we are proud to have the opportunity to impact the communities we serve.

   View Full Job Description

   UW Medical Foundation benefits

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right ophthalmic assistant for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with ophthalmic assistants they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit ophthalmic assistants who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your ophthalmic assistant job on Zippia to find and attract quality ophthalmic assistant candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit ophthalmic assistants, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new ophthalmic assistant

   Once you've decided on a perfect ophthalmic assistant candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an ophthalmic assistant?