Summary

Ophthalmology Technicians in the Veterans Health Administration support Ophthalmologists in diagnosis - treatment - prevention - follow-up care and patient counseling. The Health Technician (Ophthalmology) triages patient phone calls or requests; ensures exam rooms are stocked with adequate supplies; instructs patients on administration of eye drops and post-operative instructions; accurately measures - compares - and evaluates pupillary responses; administers eye drops to dilate pupils.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• Experience and Education (1) Experience
• One year of experience in a health care field - such as but not limited to nursing - medical assistant - or health technician
• OR (2) 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 (3) Experience/Education Combination
• Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying
• Examples are listed below: (a) Six months of experience in the health care field
• and one year above high school
• or (b) 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 (c) Six months of experience in the health care field and completion of an independent study course in Ophthalmic Medical Assisting
• 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)
• Exception
• Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the minimum qualification requirements may be appointed as a graduate Health Technician (Ophthalmology) under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(c)(2)(B)
• The appointing official may waive the requirement of certification for a period not to exceed two years for a Health Technician (Ophthalmology) that provides care under the supervision of an Ophthalmologist
• The exception only applies below the full performance level
• For grade levels at or above the full performance level the candidate must be certified
• Failure to obtain COA certification during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment and may result in termination of employment
• 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)
• Grade Determinations: Health Technician (Ophthalmology) - GS-5 (Entry Level) (a) Experience or Education
• None beyond the basic requirements
• Health Technician (Ophthalmology) - GS-6 (Developmental Level 1) (a) Experience
• One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level
• AND (c) Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1
• Knowledge of general outpatient clinical policies and procedures in a healthcare environment
• 2
• Ability to obtain - document and record demographic and medical information from patients in order to develop an accurate medical record
• 3
• Ability to use basic ophthalmic equipment
• and 4
• Knowledge of basic disinfection of non-critical reusable medical equipment
• Health Technician (Ophthalmology) - GS-7 (Developmental Level 2) Experience
• One year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 grade level
• AND Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSA)
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1
• Knowledge of anatomy and function of the eye and basic ocular pharmacology
• 2
• Knowledge of outpatient eye care policies and procedures in a health care environment
• 3
• Ability to use basic ophthalmic diagnostic equipment to perform preliminary ocular testing
• 4
• Ability to perform minor extraocular surgical assisting
• and 5
• Ability to provide eye care patient education
• Health Technician (Ophthalmology) - GS-8 (Full Performance Level) Experience
• One year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level
• AND Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSA)
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1
• Ability to perform advanced tonometry and pupil evaluation
• 2
• Ability to perform calculations for selection of intraocular lens
• 3
• Knowledge of clinic based ophthalmic surgical assisting
• 4
• Knowledge of eye anatomy and physiology
• 5
• Knowledge of medication effects and proper instillation in the eye
• 6
• Knowledge of optics
• and 7
• Knowledge of proper cleaning and maintenance of clinic equipment
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://department.va.gov/employees/va-qualifications-standards/ Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position
• Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

Duties

• This is an OPEN CONTINOUS ANNOUNCEMENT
• We are accepting applications on an ongoing basis
• applicants will be reviewed on a rolling basis - as long as the vacancy exists
• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major duties include - but are not limited to: Checks and performs calibration of technical ophthalmology screening instruments
• Obtains a detailed patient 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 nonprescription 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 or with a trial frame and lenses
• Instills eye medications (drops or ointments - including anesthetic - dye - dilating drops - cycloplegic drops - or antibiotics) following a protocol or under the direction of an eye provider (ophthalmologist or optometrist)
• Measures intraocular pressure with standard techniques - including Goldmann applanation tonometry - tonopen - or rebound tonometer
• Performs corneal pachymetry using a handheld or ocular coherence tomography device to determine corneal thickness
• Performs manual keratometry or automated 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 - intravitreous 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: 08:00 to 16:30
• Monday through Friday Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.