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Optometrist assistant vs unit assistant

The differences between optometrist assistants and unit assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both an optometrist assistant and a unit assistant. Additionally, an optometrist assistant has an average salary of $122,813, which is higher than the $33,802 average annual salary of a unit assistant.

The top three skills for an optometrist assistant include patients, appointment scheduling and exam rooms. The most important skills for a unit assistant are patients, customer service, and HIPAA.

Optometrist assistant vs unit assistant overview

Optometrist AssistantUnit Assistant
Yearly salary$122,813$33,802
Hourly rate$59.04$16.25
Growth rate16%16%
Number of jobs48,461174,425
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 31%Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Average age3737
Years of experience1212

Optometrist assistant vs unit assistant salary

Optometrist assistants and unit assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Optometrist AssistantUnit Assistant
Average salary$122,813$33,802
Salary rangeBetween $85,000 And $177,000Between $25,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City-Westfield, MA
Highest paying state-Massachusetts
Best paying company-UC Santa Barbara
Best paying industry-Non Profits

Differences between optometrist assistant and unit assistant education

There are a few differences between an optometrist assistant and a unit assistant in terms of educational background:

Optometrist AssistantUnit Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 31%Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Most common majorBusinessNursing
Most common college--

Optometrist assistant vs unit assistant demographics

Here are the differences between optometrist assistants' and unit assistants' demographics:

Optometrist AssistantUnit Assistant
Average age3737
Gender ratioMale, 11.8% Female, 88.2%Male, 30.0% Female, 70.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 24.7% Asian, 9.9% White, 50.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.1% Asian, 9.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between optometrist assistant and unit assistant duties and responsibilities

Optometrist assistant example responsibilities.

  • Adhere to OSHA guidelines while performing instrument sterilization in addition to managing medical inventory.
  • Pretest patients on NCT, OCT, refractomotor, visual field machine, and retinal camera.
  • Check in and work up patients for eye exam, assist optometrist with retinal photos, glaucoma testing and basic refraction.
  • Perform require pretests for the Dr's.
  • Perform OCT scan of optic nerve, macula, and fundus photo.
  • Clean and maintain equipment and instruments in the optometric area, pre-test room, and restock inventories.
  • Show more

Unit assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.
  • Carry out necessary duties for post surgery patients which result in quicker test results and recovery time for patients.
  • Follow HIPAA laws and assist patients.
  • Qualify in 12 lead EKG's, and applying 6 lead telemetry monitors.
  • Report any personal or medical complaints and concerns of the patients to the supervising nursing and rehabilitation staff members.
  • Assist patients in activities of daily living, assist in rehabilitation of patients, doctors & nurses in ER department.
  • Show more

Optometrist assistant vs unit assistant skills

Common optometrist assistant skills
  • Patients, 37%
  • Appointment Scheduling, 7%
  • Exam Rooms, 6%
  • Customer Service, 5%
  • Eye Exams, 3%
  • Front Desk, 3%
Common unit assistant skills
  • Patients, 37%
  • Customer Service, 8%
  • HIPAA, 6%
  • Vital Signs, 5%
  • Medical Terminology, 5%
  • ADL, 4%

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