Health Technician (Ophthalmology)

Full Job Description

Ophthalmology Technicians in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) support Ophthalmologists in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, follow-up care and patient counseling.

The Full Performance Health Technician (Ophthalmology) performs a range of standard, but complex, diagnostic procedures, assists during clinic-based surgical procedures, educates patients and legal representatives, assists with the education of medical students and residents.

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: You must be a citizen of the United States.

Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). English Language Proficiency.

Health Technicians (Ophthalmology) must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 38 U.S.C. 7407(d). Experience and Education Experience.

One year of experience in a health care field, such as but not limited to nursing, medical assistant, or health technician. OR Education.

Two years above high school with a minimum of six semester hours directly related to a health care field or associate's degree in a health care related degree. OR Experience/Education Combination.

Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying.

Examples are listed below: Six months of experience in the health care field; and one year above high school; or Six months of experience in the health care field and successful completion of a course for health care technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or ophthalmology technicians given by the U.S.

Armed Forces; or Six months of experience in the health care field and completion of an independent study course in Ophthalmic Medical Assisting. Foreign Education.

To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S.

must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S.

programs. Certification. All applicants must be certified as a Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) with the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO).

The COA certification is JCAHPO's entry-level certification examination for a Health Technician (Ophthalmology). Grandfathering Provision.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

Health Technician - Ophthalmology, GS-8 (Full Performance Level) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs).

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to perform advanced tonometry and pupil evaluation; Ability to perform calculations for selection of intraocular lens; Knowledge of clinic based ophthalmic surgical assisting; Knowledge of eye anatomy and physiology; Knowledge of medication effects and proper instillation in the eye; Knowledge of optics; and Knowledge of proper cleaning and maintenance of clinic equipment.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: Work is sedentary but also demands standing, walking, bending, twisting, and carrying light items. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8. Major Duties:

This Health Technician (Ophthalmology) performs a range of standard, but complex, diagnostic procedures.

Major duties and responsibilities of the position include but are not limited to: Checks and performs calibration of technical ophthalmology screening instruments.

Obtains patient physical history, to include chief complaint; reason for visit; pertinent signs and symptoms; current medication allergies; past ocular and general medical history both ocular and general; family history both ocular and general; social history; and review of medications and allergies, including current ocular prescription and non prescription medications.

Accurately tests visual acuity at distance and near, with and without correction or with and without a pinhole.

Measures eyeglass prescription using manual or automated lensometer, recording sphere, cylinder, axis, and prism in both plus and minus cylinder.

Performs pupil evaluation recording pupil size, shape, symmetry, reaction to light and accommodation. Performs swinging flashlight test to detect a relative afferent pupillary defect.

Performs basic refractometry utilizing an auto refraction or habitual glass prescription in the phoropter.

Instills eye medications (drops or ointments, including anesthetic, dye, dilating drops, cycloplegic drops, or antibiotics).

Measures intraocular pressure with standard techniques, including Goldmann applanation tonometry.

Performs pachymetry to determine corneal thickness and manual keratometry or topography to determine corneal curvature. Performs intra-ocular lens calculations using an IOL Master or equivalent device.

Performs automated visual field testing using various perimetry machines. Performs external photographs and fundus photography.

Performs optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the anterior segment, retina and optic nerve. Performs patient screening and triage of potentially urgent ocular conditions.

Assists during clinic-based ophthalmic surgery, including revision of wounds, biopsies of the eyelid lesions, cultures of conjunctiva, or cornea; reformation of anterior chamber, evacuation of hyphema, repositioning of corneal endothelial grafts, intra vitreous injections, and laser surgical procedures.

Educates patients and legal authorized representatives in eye care, including preoperative and postoperative instructions.

Assists in the education and training of medical students, residents and fellows in those facilities with medical school affiliations.

Ensures proper cleaning and disinfection; calibration, maintenance, backup, annual inventory and ordering of instruments, supplies and equipment; obtains quotes as needed; and reports needed repairs to biomedical engineering.

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. Telework: Not available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 21Y92-A.