Summary

Ophthalmology Technicians in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) support Ophthalmologists/Optometrist 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.

Qualifications

OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until March 24 - 2025. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be March - with subsequent cut-off dates on the 1st of each month. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled. 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
• 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 (1) Experience
• One year of experience in a health care field - such as but not limited to nursing - medical assistant - or health technician (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
• (3) Experience/Education Combination
• Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying
• 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) 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: Health Technician (Ophthalmology) - GS-8 (Full Performance Level) (a) Experience One year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level
• (b) Assignment This is considered to be the full performance level for this assignment
• The Health Technician (Ophthalmology) at this level performs a range of standard - but complex - diagnostic procedures with responsibility for checking calibration of instruments prior to the procedure
• Responsible for obtaining patient physical history - to include chief complaint
• reason for visit
• pertinent signs/symptoms
• past 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 - and any abnormalities - including relative afferent pupillary defect
• Performs basic refractometry utilizing an auto refraction or habitual glass prescription in the phoropter
• Instills eye medications (i.e. - drops or ointments - including anesthetic - dye - dilation - cycloplegic - or antibiotics
• Responsible for measuring intraocular pressure of the eye utilizing 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 the IOL Master
• Performs automated visual field testing using various perimetry machines
• Performance of external photographs and fundus photography
• Performs optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the anterior segment - retina and optic nerve
• Performs patient screening and triage emergencies identifying ocular emergencies
• Performs patient screening and telephone triage for immediate care
• 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
• (c) 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://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019

Duties

• Major Duties: Checks and performs calibration of technical ophthalmology screening instruments
• Accurately tests visual acuity at distance and near with and without correction or with and without a pinhole
• 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
• 'Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Work Schedule: To be determined 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
• Functional Statement #: 04015A Permanent Change of Station (PCS): NOT Authorized