Health Technician (Optometry)

About the role

Optometry Technicians in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) support Ophthalmologists in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, follow-up care and patient counseling. The Full Performance Health Technician (Optometry) performs a range of standard but complex diagnostic procedures, assists during clinic-based surgical procedures, educates patients and legal representatives, and assists with the education of medical students and residents.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements

Citizenship: 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).

Experience and Education (one of the following):

• Experience: One year of experience as a health technician or assistant in the health care field demonstrating the applicant's ability to perform the work or demonstrating a basic understanding of work in the health care field.
• Education: Successful completion of two academic years above high school with a minimum of 12 semester hours related to health technician/assistant or health technician (optometry)/assistant, or associate degree, or completion of an independent study course in an optometry related technician or assistant field.
• Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. Examples include:
  • Six months of experience comparable to the next lower level demonstrating knowledge of optometry assistant theory and practices and general understanding of health technician/assistant duties, plus one year above high school with a minimum of six semester hours of health technician/assistant or health technician (optometry)/assistant related courses.
  • Successful completion of a course for health care technicians or assistants, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or hospital training in a program given by the U.S. Armed Forces, U.S. Maritime Service, or U.S. Public Health Service may be substituted on a month-for-month basis.

Licensure/Certification/Registration: None required.

Grandfathering Provision: All individuals employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held. Employees who do not meet all basic requirements but met qualifications applicable at the time of appointment may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory/managerial positions. Temporary appointees prior to the effective date may not have appointments extended or be reappointed until they fully meet basic requirements. Health Technicians (Optometry) converted to Title 38 hybrid status who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet full VA qualification standards in effect at time of re-entry.

Foreign Education: Education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization specializing in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and deemed at least equivalent to conventional U.S. programs.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).

Grade Determinations

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-07. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected is in the range of GS-06 to GS-07.

Health Technician (Optometry) - GS-04

• Experience: None beyond the basic requirements.
• Assignment: Employees serve in an entry-level position. More experienced staff members guide and provide daily direct supervision.

Health Technician (Optometry) - GS-05

• Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade GS-04.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs):
  • Knowledge of basic eye anatomy and function.
  • Ability to obtain, document and record ophthalmic and medical information from patients to develop an accurate electronic progress note.
  • Ability to practice basic hygiene and infection control in a patient care setting.
  • Ability to follow eye clinic and patient care medical policies and procedures.
  • Ability to perform minor eyeglasses repairs, such as replacing nose pads and screws.

Health Technician (Optometry) - GS-06

• Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade GS-05.
• Demonstrated KSAs:
  • Ability to provide patient education for eye health and/or vision conditions, to include assisting with patient contact lens insertion, removal and hygiene (cleaning and disinfection) care.
  • Ability to accurately enter into a phoropter the autorefractometry or habitual refractive prescription (i.e., eyeglasses prescription) or lensometer findings, including sphere, cylinder and axis.
  • Ability to perform patient spectacle fitting and dispensing, including selection of appropriate frame, ophthalmic lenses, interpupillary measurements (distance and near) and proper segment height determination, as well as the ability to transpose sphere, cylinder and axis.
  • Ability to provide basic triage of patient telephone calls or optometry requests.
  • Knowledge of ophthalmic medications and supplies needed in the process of restocking the eye clinic exam rooms.

Health Technician (Optometry) - GS-07

• Experience: One year of experience comparable to the next lower level GS-06 demonstrating the knowledge, skills and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled.
• Demonstrated KSAs:
  • Ability to determine preliminary objective estimate and/or refinement of the optical status of the eye (not to include the patient's final subjective refraction).
  • Ability to triage and manage eyeglasses issues (e.g., measurement of vertex distance, base curve, prism correction, center thickness, slab off, Fresnel prism, decentration, etc.).
  • Ability to perform accurate assessment of accommodation, near point of convergence and ocular alignment (far and near).
  • Ability to assist the eye care provider (optometrist or ophthalmologist) with ophthalmic procedures.
  • Ability to assist with obtaining accurate ocular cultures and smears.
  • Knowledge and ability to provide advanced patient education for eye health and/or vision conditions.

Reference: VA Handbook 5005/142 Part II Appendix G6

Responsibilities

Optometry Technicians in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) support Optometrists in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, follow-up care and patient counseling. The Full Performance Health Technician (Optometry) performs a range of standard but complex diagnostic procedures, assists during clinical-based surgical procedures, educates patients and legal representatives, and assists with the education of medical students and residents. The Full Performance Health Technician (Optometry) may perform many "direct patient care services" under the supervision of an Optometrist.

Other duties include but are not limited to:

• Assist with patient movement throughout the eye clinic.
• Ensure proper cleaning and disinfection of examination rooms and stock each room with required supplies.
• Understand basic hygiene, cleaning, and disinfection of reusable medical equipment, instruments and ophthalmic equipment.
• Communicate with scheduling staff to facilitate patient scheduling and instructions from staff optometrists for triaging eye care and arranging follow-up eye care.
• Apply knowledge of basic eye anatomy and function.
• Obtain, document, and record ophthalmic and medical information from patients to develop an accurate electronic progress note.
• Practice basic hygiene and infection control in a patient care setting.
• Follow eye clinic and patient care medical policies and procedures.
• Triage and manage eyeglasses issues (e.g., measurement of vertex distance, base curve, prism correction, center thickness, slab off, Fresnel prism, decentration, etc.).
• Provide patient education for eye health and/or vision conditions, to include assisting with patient contact lens insertion, removal, and hygiene (cleaning and disinfection) care.
• Provide advanced patient education for eye health and/or vision conditions.
• Accurately enter into a phoropter the autorefractometry or habitual refractive prescription (i.e., eyeglasses prescription) or lensometer findings, including sphere, cylinder and axis.
• Determine preliminary objective estimate and/or refinement of the optical status of the eye (not to include the patient's final subjective refraction).
• Perform duties such as measuring and recording visual acuity (with use of pinhole testing as indicated), obtaining accurate potential acuity meter, laser interferometry, contrast sensitivity or other specialized visual acuity measurements.
• Perform accurate assessment of accommodation, near point of convergence and ocular alignment (far and near).
• Perform patient spectacle fitting and dispensing, including selection of appropriate frame, ophthalmic lenses, interpupillary measurements (distance and near) and proper segment height determination, as well as the ability to transpose sphere, cylinder and axis.
• Provide basic triage of patient telephone calls or optometry requests.
• Apply knowledge of ophthalmic medications and supplies needed in the process of restocking the eye clinic exam rooms.