Optometrist

Primary Function

Applicant provides general optometric services, including refraction, dilation, biometry measurements, contact lens fitting services, and acute and chronic eye disease management for patients at the Cherokee Indian Hospital and outlying clinics.

Responsibilities

• Independently perform the full range of optometric procedures and instrumentation techniques with little or no guidance or consultation.
• Interviewing (and securing or reviewing case histories of) patients and conducting examinations;
• Analyzing visual functions -- far acuity, near acuity, field of vision, depth of perception, ocular coordination, and color perception;
• Using objective and subjective methods for the detection of evidence of ocular and systemic disease apparent in the eyes and recommending the referral of cases for medical or other diagnosis;
• Performing refractions to assess the degree of hyperopia, myopia, astigmatism, presbyopia and other visual deficiencies requiring correction;
• Prescribing subnormal vision aids, contact and conventional lenses, and corrective eye exercises;
• Verifying new prescriptions and determining previous prescriptions worn by patients through the process of neutralizing lenses by use of the lensometer or vertometer.
• Determining previous prescriptions of various kinds for unusual visual deficiencies (i.e., subnormal vision aids and contact lenses), in addition to conventional lenses, by use of the lensometer, vertometer, keratometer, or other specialized instruments;
• Planning, developing, and adjusting the various elements of the optometry program to meet the needs of the hospital or clinic and patients served;
• Maintaining liaison with, and providing advisory services to, personnel of other professional disciplines on patient or program problems of overlapping or mutual interest;
• Maintaining proper records and making necessary reports.
• Applying procedures for the detection of neuromuscular impairment or anomalies of binocular function and their correction;
• Providing or referring for orthoptics and visual training for the correction of strabismus (squint or crossed eyes) and in the development or reeducation of the visual skills for the improvement of visual performance;

Qualifications

• Education/Experience: Degree of doctor of optometry resulting from a course of education in optometry. Must have been obtained from one of the schools or colleges of the United States and Canadian schools or colleges of optometry listed as accredited by the Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association, in the list published for the year in which the course of study was completed.
• Licensed to practice optometry in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.
• Must obtain North Carolina Licensure within 1 year after initial hire.
• Optometrists are required to possess full and unrestricted licensure and to maintain a current registration.
• Two years of optometric practice or its equivalent preferred.
• One year of approved residency training or its creditable equivalent acceptable to the Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association is acceptable in lieu of 2 years of practice.
• The optometrist at this level has successfully passed the examinations of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry.