Health Technician (Ophthalmology)

Ophthalmology Technicians in the Veterans Health Administration support Ophthalmologists in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, follow-up care and patient counseling. The Technician 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. The Technician may perform direct patient care services under the supervision of Ophthalmologists.

Qualifications:

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: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• 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:
    • (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)
Experience or Education: None beyond the basic requirements.

Health Technician (Ophthalmology), GS-6 (Developmental Level 1)
Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level. AND
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.

All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package. We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications. Failure to demonstrate your experience in your resume may result in disqualification. It is strongly recommended that you write to each KSA in your application package.

References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/98 PART II APPENDIX G52

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-08. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-05 to GS-08.

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.

Responsibilities:

This announcement is open continuous. Certificates will be issued to the hiring manager on a bi-weekly basis until all positions have been filled. Announcement will remain open until all vacancies are filled, and may close sooner than 9/30/2024.

Major duties include, but are not limited to the following:

• Obtains and records vital signs including blood pressure, pulse, and glucose levels.
• Participates in performance of quality assurance activities such as staff meetings, mandatory educational in-services, quality control reports, systems redesign, and team and morale improvement.
• Obtains an accurate medical and ophthalmic history,
• Measures and records visual acuity,
• Administers anesthetic eye drops,
• Performing basic tonometry,
• Estimates the anterior chamber depth
• Records a simple spectacle reading through automated lensometry.
• 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;
• Performs basic color vision screening;
• Performs basic visual field testing (using Amsler grid or automated equipment).
• Performs basic imaging testing such as corneal topography; external photography;
• Performs basic ocular testing such as pachymetry, tear production with test strips, glare testing, stereo acuity, contrast sensitivity, potential acuity meter, measuring spectacles using both automated and manual lensometry and transposing cylinders.
• Assists the ophthalmologist during minor ophthalmic surgical procedures and is adept at applying sterile technique and infection control procedures.
• Performs autorefractor to determine spectacle prescription.
• 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 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, 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;

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:00am-3:30pm or 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: Not Eligible
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Salary : $38,026 - $67,820