Optical dispenser vs optometrist

The differences between optical dispensers 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 $37,333 average annual salary of an optical dispenser.

The top three skills for an optical dispenser include american board, ABO and insurance coverage. The most important skills for an optometrist are patients, patient care, and diagnosis.

Optical dispenser vs optometrist overview

	Optical Dispenser	Optometrist
Yearly salary	$37,333	$187,654
Hourly rate	$17.95	$90.22
Growth rate	4%	10%
Number of jobs	6,198	20,993
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 34%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Average age	44	45
Years of experience	-	-

Optical dispenser vs optometrist salary

Optical dispensers and optometrists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Optical Dispenser	Optometrist
Average salary	$37,333	$187,654
Salary range	Between $11,000 And $116,000	Between $94,000 And $373,000
Highest paying City	-	Greensboro, NC
Highest paying state	-	North Carolina
Best paying company	-	Mayo Clinic
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between optical dispenser and optometrist education

There are a few differences between an optical dispenser and an optometrist in terms of educational background:

	Optical Dispenser	Optometrist
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 34%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Most common major	Physics	Optometry
Most common college	Duke University	University of California, Berkeley

Optical dispenser vs optometrist demographics

Here are the differences between optical dispensers' and optometrists' demographics:

	Optical Dispenser	Optometrist
Average age	44	45
Gender ratio	Male, 42.7% Female, 57.3%	Male, 25.9% Female, 74.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 8.9% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	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	13%	18%

Differences between optical dispenser and optometrist duties and responsibilities

Optical dispenser example responsibilities.

Maintain coating quality using adhesion testing and spectrophotometers, and manage coating hues and reflectance adjustments.
Follow all IRB, FDA and HIIPA directions relate to clinical research projects.
Order glasses verify insurance order contacts make appointment follow up on RX order
Assist patients with eye wear selection, repairs and troubleshooting with Rx difficulties.
Work with multiple optometrists to solve patient issues including inaccurate optical measurements, lens adaptations, and overall patient satisfaction.
File insurance for orders including medicare and medicaid.

Optometrist example responsibilities.

Experience in OCT, visual fields, and EMR.
View cataracts in live patients and compare to class examples.
Work closely with the LASIK and cataract surgeons to provide comprehensive care to patients.
Perform eye exams and care for all patients including pre op and post operative care.
Specialize in anterior segment surgery, cataract, glaucoma, retinal problems, and ocular oncology.
Create statistical reports with pre and post topography conditions and visual acuity results in IOL implant surgery.

Optical dispenser vs optometrist skills

Common optical dispenser skills

American Board, 47%
ABO, 24%
Insurance Coverage, 18%
Customer Service, 4%
Scheduling Appointments, 2%
Optical Lab, 2%

Common optometrist skills

Patients, 29%
Patient Care, 13%
Diagnosis, 13%
Customer Service, 7%
Diagnostic Tests, 7%
Pre, 6%

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Optical Dispenser
Optical Dispenser vs Optometrist

Updated January 8, 2025

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