The difference between an optician, optometrist, and ophthalmologist

There are many clinical roles in the vision care industry, and it can be difficult to distinguish between them. The terms opticians, optometrists and ophthalmologists are sometimes used interchangeably, but they have vastly different roles.

In this blog, our vision care recruitment experts will cover everything you need to know about opticians, optometrists and ophthalmologists and the key differences between these jobs.

What is an optician?

A dispensing optician is an eye care technician who assists customers in selecting suitable eyeglasses, contact lenses, or vision aids. They interpret prescriptions (given by an ophthalmologist or optometrist) and provide quality customer service.

Because opticians aren’t medical or eye doctors, they can’t diagnose or treat eye problems or diseases.

What do opticians do?

Some of an optician’s typical responsibilities include:

• Teaching patients how to take care of their glasses and safely insert and remove their contact lenses.
• Measuring different parts of a patient's eye to ensure their glasses fit correctly.
• Recommending the most appropriate eyewear based on a patient’s lifestyle.
• Taking inventory of the available eyewear products.
• Scheduling and organising all appointments, such as eye tests and checkups.

Where do opticians work?

Opticians work in optical shops, eyewear retailers, and healthcare settings.

How much do opticians make?

According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for an optician in the UK is £30,516 per year.

Where to find optician jobs

You can find optician vacancies on the government website or non-specific job sites, such as Indeed.

What is an optometrist?

Optometrists are eye specialists and healthcare professionals trained to diagnose and treat eye diseases, vision defects, signs of injury, and general health problems. Their main role involves examining patients and prescribing vision corrective devices, including glasses, contact lenses, and medication. Optometrists are sometimes called ophthalmic opticians.

Optometrists aren’t medical doctors, unlike ophthalmologists, so they aren’t trained to perform eye surgery. Optometrists hold a Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree and attend optometry school rather than medical school.

What do optometrists do?

An optometrist’s key responsibilities include:

• Prescribing and fitting glasses or contact lenses to correct patients’ vision.
• Examining patients' eyes and conducting routine eye tests and checkups.
• Providing patients with advice about their eye health.
• Referring patients to specialists or for further treatment if required.

Where do optometrists work?

Optometrists work in a range of settings, including high street optometrists and opticians, hospitals, clinics, teaching intuitions and research projects.

How much do optometrists make?

According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for an optometrist in the UK is £55,825 per year.

Where to find optometrist jobs

There are a few optometry recruitment sites, including The College of Optometrists website. However, vacancies can also be found on non-job-specific sites, like Indeed or Reed.

What is an ophthalmologist?

Ophthalmologists are doctors of medicine (MD) or doctors of osteopathy (DO) who specialise in eye and vision care. They offer comprehensive vision care, including medical and surgical eye care. Ophthalmologists diagnose, treat, manage, and prevent all types of eye conditions and diseases, such as cataracts, glaucoma, age-related vision loss or optic nerve damage. Because they have had medical training, they can also provide surgical and follow-up care.

What do ophthalmologists do?

An ophthalmologist’s primary responsibilities include:

• Performing eye exams and routine checkups.
• Performing eye surgery, specialist eye treatment and follow-up care.
• Diagnosing and treating a wide range of eye diseases and disorders.
• Prescribing glasses or contact lenses to patients.
• Taking detailed patient histories.

Where do ophthalmologists work?

Ophthalmologists can work in various settings but mainly in specialist, general or acute clinics and hospitals.

How much do ophthalmologists make?

According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for an ophthalmologist in the UK is £113,075 annually. However, an ophthalmologist’s salary depends on how qualified they are and the amount of experience they have.

The basic salary during foundational training ranges from £32,398 to £37,303. During speciality training, salaries increase to at least £43,923. As an ophthalmology consultant, they can earn between £93,666 and £126,281.

Where to find ophthalmologist jobs

You can search general job sites like Indeed or Reed for ophthalmologist roles. Alternatively, you can look at ophthalmology-specific job boards, such as the ones on The Royal College of Ophthalmologists or NHS websites.

The key difference between opticians, optometrists, and ophthalmologists

The main difference between these three eyecare roles is the amount of training and qualifications that are required. Here’s an overview of the qualifications required for each role:

• Opticians must complete a GOC-approved course, which typically takes 3 years to complete.
• Optometrists typically complete a BSc in Optometry and a year of assessed clinical training in practice, called the Scheme for Registration. In total, this takes 4 years to complete.
• Ophthalmologists must complete 5 years of medical school, followed by a paid two-year foundation programme and then paid speciality training, which will take at least 7 years.

How Vision Executives can help

Our professional and experienced vision recruitment agency can help if you're looking for a non-clinical vision care role.

At Vision Executives, we are experts in international vision care recruitment. Our consultants are dedicated to finding our candidates the perfect vision care role. If you join us, you’ll gain access to our global hiring manager network, which includes over 4000 professionals in 30 countries.

We have placed candidates in diverse roles across multiple companies, from sales representative roles in start-ups to director roles in 'blue-chip' multinationals.

Our recruitment process

Our team provides a clear, open and honest optical recruitment service. We will take the time to understand you and your dream role so we can find a position that’s the perfect fit based on your skills, qualifications and experience.

Here’s what our recruitment process looks like:

1. An introductory call will be held to discuss your motivations and expectations for your new role.
2. A mock interview with one of our specialist recruiters.
3. A confidential profile will be created for you.
4. We’ll reach out to our network of hiring managers and clients to begin finding your perfect role.
5. With your permission, we’ll share your CV with suitable clients.
6. We’ll arrange interviews and support contract negotiations to help you get your deserved salary!

If you’re interested in our professional vision care recruitment services, check out our live vacancies on our site or learn more about what we do.