Health Tech (Ophthalmology)

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Health Technician
Employees may be required to perform most or all duties listed:

• Perform limited routine tasks under direct supervision referring unusual issues to their supervisor.
• Measure and record vital signs-blood pressure pulse and glucose.
• Participate in quality assurance activities like staff meetings training sessions quality reports systems improvements and team morale initiatives.
• Take medical and eye history; measure and record visual acuity.
• Administer anesthetic eye drops; perform basic tonometry (NCT tonopen).
• Estimate anterior chamber depth; record spectacle readings via lensometry.
• Conduct basic automated visual field tests; perform posterior fundus photography.
• Acquire OCT scans of retina and optic nerve.
• Triage patient calls and urgent walk-ins with provider; restock supplies.
• Educate patients on eye drop administration and post-op care.
• Assess pupillary responses; measure and record pupils size shape and reaction.
• Administer dilating and other ocular drops.
• Determine eyeglass prescriptions with manual or automated lensometry.
• Perform autorefraction; assist in minor ophthalmic surgeries with sterile technique.
• Manage equipment inventory; maintain clinic stock.
• Collect comprehensive patient history: chief complaint symptoms medications allergies medical and family ocular history social habits.
• Measure vision at distance and near with/without pinhole.
• Evaluate pupils; instill medications including anesthetic dye dilators and antibiotics.
• Measure intraocular pressure (Goldmann applanation); perform pachymetry and keratometry.
• Calculate intraocular lens power with IOL Master; perform automated visual fields.
• Conduct OCT of anterior segment retina and nerve; screen for urgent ocular issues.
• Assist during ophthalmic procedures such as injections and laser treatments.
• Educate patients and guardians pre- and post-op; ensure proper cleaning/disinfection.
• Calibrate maintain backup and inventory equipment; coordinate repairs.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Must possess the basic experience and/or education for the Health Technician (Ophthalmology) position.
• Must be a Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) with the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO) for permanent employment.
• 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• 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.

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.
• Experience and/or Education:

• 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).

• Grandfathering Provision: 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).
• Foreign Education: To be creditable education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs.

• Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level.

• Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSA). In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
• 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.

• Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 grade level.

• Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSA). In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
• Knowledge of anatomy and function of the eye and basic ocular pharmacology;
• Knowledge of outpatient eye care policies and procedures in a health care environment;
• Ability to use basic ophthalmic diagnostic equipment to perform preliminary ocular testing;
• Ability to perform minor extraocular surgical assisting; and
• Ability to provide eye care patient education.

• Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level.

• Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
• Knowledge of general outpatient clinical policies and procedures in a healthcare environment;
• Ability to obtain document and record demographic and medical information from patients in order to develop an accurate medical record;
• Ability to use basic ophthalmic equipment; and
• Knowledge of basic disinfection of non-critical reusable medical equipment.

• Experience or Education: None beyond the basic requirements