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Ophthalmic assistant vs ophthalmology surgical technician

The differences between ophthalmic assistants and ophthalmology surgical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an ophthalmic assistant and an ophthalmology surgical technician. Additionally, an ophthalmology surgical technician has an average salary of $43,454, which is higher than the $43,217 average annual salary of an ophthalmic assistant.

The top three skills for an ophthalmic assistant include patients, patient care and ophthalmology. The most important skills for an ophthalmology surgical technician are patients, field testing, and visual fields.

Ophthalmic assistant vs ophthalmology surgical technician overview

Ophthalmic AssistantOphthalmology Surgical Technician
Yearly salary$43,217$43,454
Hourly rate$20.78$20.89
Growth rate16%16%
Number of jobs21,55933,527
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 35%Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Average age4141
Years of experience22

Ophthalmic assistant vs ophthalmology surgical technician salary

Ophthalmic assistants and ophthalmology surgical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Ophthalmic AssistantOphthalmology Surgical Technician
Average salary$43,217$43,454
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $62,000Between $29,000 And $63,000
Highest paying CityVancouver, WA-
Highest paying stateHawaii-
Best paying companyEye Consultants of Atlanta-
Best paying industryTransportation-

Differences between ophthalmic assistant and ophthalmology surgical technician education

There are a few differences between an ophthalmic assistant and an ophthalmology surgical technician in terms of educational background:

Ophthalmic AssistantOphthalmology Surgical Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 35%Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Most common majorMedical Assisting ServicesMedical Assisting Services
Most common college--

Ophthalmic assistant vs ophthalmology surgical technician demographics

Here are the differences between ophthalmic assistants' and ophthalmology surgical technicians' demographics:

Ophthalmic AssistantOphthalmology Surgical Technician
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 13.1% Female, 86.9%Male, 20.2% Female, 79.8%
Race ratioBlack 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 Percentage6%6%

Differences between ophthalmic assistant and ophthalmology surgical technician duties and responsibilities

Ophthalmic assistant example 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.
  • Show more

Ophthalmology surgical technician example responsibilities.

  • Work daily with EHR, manual keratomerty, topography, pachymetry, visual field testing, macular OCT, and CCT.
  • Perform optical examinations obtaining patients chief complaints, demographic information and medical history.
  • Document medications, record allergies.
  • Discuss IOL options with patient.
  • Provide review/grammar correction of medical chart dictations for the doctor in the ophthalmology department.
  • Assist ophthalmologists in ophthalmic surgery, observe patients under anesthesia by using various health monitoring equipment.
  • Show more

Ophthalmic assistant vs ophthalmology surgical technician skills

Common ophthalmic assistant skills
  • Patients, 20%
  • Patient Care, 7%
  • Ophthalmology, 6%
  • Customer Service, 5%
  • Color Vision, 5%
  • Triage, 4%
Common ophthalmology surgical technician skills
  • Patients, 31%
  • Field Testing, 7%
  • Visual Fields, 5%
  • Surgical Procedures, 5%
  • Visual Acuity, 4%
  • Diagnostic Tests, 4%

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