Graduate Health Technician (Ophthalmology)

About the role

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

Responsibilities

• 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 nonprescription medications.
• 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.
• 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.
• Installs 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 hyphemia, repositioning of corneal endothelial grafts, intravitreous injections, and laser surgical procedures.
• 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.
• Educates patients and legal authorized representatives in eye care, including preoperative and postoperative instructions.

Requirements

• This job is open to current permanent employees of Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System and its satellites, current permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees, current permanent Federal employees of other agencies and all US Citizens.
• The Health Technician (Ophthalmology) performs a range of standard, but complex diagnostic procedures. The technician plans and carries out examinations in line with training and accepted practices, and makes recommendations about clinical situations, procedures, or changes to procedures in some situations.

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:
  • One year of experience in a health care field, such as but not limited to nursing, medical assistant, or health technician.
  • 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.
  • Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying.
• Certification: Candidates must be certified as a Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) with the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO).
• 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).
• Grade Determinations: In addition to meeting the basic requirements previously stated, applicants must also meet the grade requirements.