Health Technician (Ophthalmology)

Duties include but not limited to:

• 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 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; obtains quotes as needed; and reports needed repairs to biomedical engineering.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the Required Documents section of this announcement.

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

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.
• 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. OR
  • (2) Education. Two years above high school with a minimum of six semester hours directly related to a health care field or associates degree in a health care related degree. OR
  • (3) 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 JCAHPOs entry-level certification examination for a Health Technician (Ophthalmology).

• Ability to perform advanced tonometry and pupil evaluation;
• Ability to perform calculations for selection of intraocular lens;
• Knowledge of clinic based ophthalmic surgical assisting;
• Knowledge of eye anatomy and physiology;
• Knowledge of medication effects and proper instillation in the eye;
• Knowledge of optics; and
• Knowledge of proper cleaning and maintenance of clinic equipment.