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What is an ophthalmology surgical technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
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The average ophthalmology surgical technician salary is $43,454. The most common degree is a bachelor's degree degree with an medical assisting services major. It usually takes 1-2 years of experience to become an ophthalmology surgical technician. Ophthalmology surgical technicians with a Ophthalmology certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 16% and produce 117,800 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreOphthalmology Surgical TechnicianUS Average
Salary
3.4

Avg. Salary $43,454

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
8.2

Growth rate 16%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
9.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.58%

Asian 5.85%

Black or African American 14.47%

Hispanic or Latino 12.28%

Unknown 4.68%

White 62.13%

Gender

female 79.80%

male 20.20%

Age - 40
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 40
Stress level
8.2

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.6

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
8.8

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Ophthalmology surgical technician career paths

Key steps to become an ophthalmology surgical technician

  1. Explore ophthalmology surgical technician education requirements

    Most common ophthalmology surgical technician degrees

    Bachelor's

    34.1 %

    Associate

    24.5 %

    High School Diploma

    14.4 %
  2. Start to develop specific ophthalmology surgical technician skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Patients30.93%
    Field Testing7.35%
    Visual Fields5.27%
    Surgical Procedures4.82%
    Visual Acuity4.45%
  3. Complete relevant ophthalmology surgical technician training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New ophthalmology surgical technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an ophthalmology surgical technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real ophthalmology surgical technician resumes.
  4. Research ophthalmology surgical technician duties and 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.
  5. Prepare your ophthalmology surgical technician resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your ophthalmology surgical technician resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an ophthalmology surgical technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable ophthalmology surgical technician resume templates

    Build a professional ophthalmology surgical technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your ophthalmology surgical technician resume.
    Ophthalmology Surgical Technician Resume
    Ophthalmology Surgical Technician Resume
    Ophthalmology Surgical Technician Resume
    Ophthalmology Surgical Technician Resume
    Ophthalmology Surgical Technician Resume
    Ophthalmology Surgical Technician Resume
    Ophthalmology Surgical Technician Resume
    Ophthalmology Surgical Technician Resume
    Ophthalmology Surgical Technician Resume
  6. Apply for ophthalmology surgical technician jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an ophthalmology surgical technician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first ophthalmology surgical technician job

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Average ophthalmology surgical technician salary

The average ophthalmology surgical technician salary in the United States is $43,454 per year or $21 per hour. Ophthalmology surgical technician salaries range between $29,000 and $63,000 per year.

Average ophthalmology surgical technician salary
$43,454 Yearly
$20.89 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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