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Surgical scrub technician vs optometric technician

The differences between surgical scrub technicians and optometric technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a surgical scrub technician, becoming an optometric technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a surgical scrub technician has an average salary of $52,701, which is higher than the $30,928 average annual salary of an optometric technician.

The top three skills for a surgical scrub technician include patients, surgical procedures and CPR. The most important skills for an optometric technician are patients, customer service, and patient care.

Surgical scrub technician vs optometric technician overview

Surgical Scrub TechnicianOptometric Technician
Yearly salary$52,701$30,928
Hourly rate$25.34$14.87
Growth rate6%16%
Number of jobs40,16833,412
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 40%Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Average age4141
Years of experience122

What does a surgical scrub technician do?

A surgical Scrub Technician can be referred to as a doctor because he/she is a committed technician who does multiple tasks like providing the surgeon with nice instruments for surgery. They provide sterile instruments to the surgeon, prepare the operating table, sterilize the instruments, and make the room neat and clean.

What does an optometric technician do?

An optometric technician is responsible for performing administrative and clerical tasks to assist patients with their vision problems and needs. Optometric technicians work in the laboratory, constructing glasses and lenses according to the ophthalmologist's advice. They clean and inspect vision equipment and ensure that the facility is well-maintained. An optometric technician must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in responding to the customers' inquiries and concerns, manage information on the database, and release customers' orders.

Surgical scrub technician vs optometric technician salary

Surgical scrub technicians and optometric technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Surgical Scrub TechnicianOptometric Technician
Average salary$52,701$30,928
Salary rangeBetween $35,000 And $77,000Between $24,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between surgical scrub technician and optometric technician education

There are a few differences between a surgical scrub technician and an optometric technician in terms of educational background:

Surgical Scrub TechnicianOptometric Technician
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 40%Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Most common majorNursingBiology
Most common collegeUniversity of Connecticut-

Surgical scrub technician vs optometric technician demographics

Here are the differences between surgical scrub technicians' and optometric technicians' demographics:

Surgical Scrub TechnicianOptometric Technician
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 28.3% Female, 71.7%Male, 14.7% Female, 85.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 4.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%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 Percentage13%6%

Differences between surgical scrub technician and optometric technician duties and responsibilities

Surgical scrub technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage sterilization of field during surgical procedures, ensuring cleanliness and sanitation meet organization protocol.
  • Clamp, ligation and cutting of tissue per surgeon's directive.
  • Pass instruments, sponges, sutures, and needles to surgeons and their assistants.
  • Communicate patient status to other units including PACU, ICU, and blood bank.
  • Remain flexible to float into the PACU, same day surgery, prep room, and GI as needed.
  • Act as liaison between technical staff, anesthesia residents, MD's, CRNA's, and hospital management.
  • Show more

Optometric technician example responsibilities.

  • Maintain coating quality using adhesion testing and spectrophotometers, and manage coating hues and reflectance adjustments.
  • Preform pre-test on patients, using auto refractor, NCT and OCT and fundus photos.
  • Identify, reference and apply insurance coverage and present financial policies and arrangements accurately to patients.
  • Perform and interpret OCT and HVF.
  • Measure eye pressure with Tonopen and tonometer.
  • Maintain accurate and organize patient records, including EHR.
  • Show more

Surgical scrub technician vs optometric technician skills

Common surgical scrub technician skills
  • Patients, 25%
  • Surgical Procedures, 14%
  • CPR, 12%
  • HIPAA, 8%
  • Surgical Equipment, 8%
  • Surgical Scrub, 6%
Common optometric technician skills
  • Patients, 24%
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Patient Care, 10%
  • Field Testing, 8%
  • Excellent Organizational, 7%
  • Pre-test, 5%

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