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The differences between ophthalmic technicians and optometrists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an optometrist has an average salary of $187,654, which is higher than the $44,042 average annual salary of an ophthalmic technician.
The top three skills for an ophthalmic technician include patients, patient care and ophthalmology. The most important skills for an optometrist are patients, patient care, and diagnosis.
| Ophthalmic Technician | Optometrist | |
| Yearly salary | $44,042 | $187,654 |
| Hourly rate | $21.17 | $90.22 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 19,063 | 20,993 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | - |
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. They may also set-up and operate equipment, perform maintenance checks, and maintain the cleanliness of work areas. Moreover, an ophthalmic technician may perform clerical tasks such as preparing and processing documents, answering calls and correspondence, arranging appointments, and assisting patients in filling out forms.
A licensed optometrist is primarily responsible for the vision and eye care of clients, treating different conditions such as astigmatism, nearsightedness, and farsightedness. Their duties mostly revolve around performing eye and vision tests, diagnosing issues, providing consultations, prescribing corrective glasses and lenses, and educating clients on proper eye care methods. Furthermore, an optometrist must maintain records of all cases and treatment plans, and supervise support staff should they choose to work at a private clinic or a similar setting.
Ophthalmic technicians and optometrists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Ophthalmic Technician | Optometrist | |
| Average salary | $44,042 | $187,654 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $62,000 | Between $94,000 And $373,000 |
| Highest paying City | Portland, OR | Greensboro, NC |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | North Carolina |
| Best paying company | Eye Consultants of Atlanta | Mayo Clinic |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an ophthalmic technician and an optometrist in terms of educational background:
| Ophthalmic Technician | Optometrist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Most common major | Biology | Optometry |
| Most common college | - | University of California, Berkeley |
Here are the differences between ophthalmic technicians' and optometrists' demographics:
| Ophthalmic Technician | Optometrist | |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 16.8% Female, 83.2% | Male, 25.9% Female, 74.1% |
| 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, 1.4% Unknown, 3.0% Hispanic or Latino, 5.2% Asian, 17.1% White, 72.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 18% |