Health Technician (Ophthalmology)

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Major duties include but are not limited to:

• Checks and performs calibration of technical ophthalmology screening instruments.
• Obtains a detailed patient 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.
• 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 or with a trial frame and lenses.
• Instills eye medications (drops or ointments including anesthetic dye dilating drops cycloplegic drops or antibiotics) following a protocol or under the direction of an eye provider (ophthalmologist or optometrist).
• Measures intraocular pressure with standard techniques including Goldmann applanation tonometry tonopen or rebound tonometer.
• Performs corneal pachymetry using a handheld or ocular coherence tomography device to determine corneal thickness.
• Performs 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.
• 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.
• Optical duties as necessary.
• Other duties as required.

• 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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.

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 Education

• Experience. One year of experience in a health care field such as but not limited to nursing medical assistant or health technician. OR
• 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
• Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. Examples are listed below:

1. Six months of experience in the health care field; and one year above high school; or
2. 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
3. Six months of experience in the health care field and completion of an independent study course in Ophthalmic Medical Assisting.

1. 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). The appointing official may waive the requirement of certification for a period not to exceed two years for a Health Technician (Ophthalmology) that provides care under the supervision of an Ophthalmologist. The exception only applies below the full performance level. For grade levels at or above the full performance level the candidate must be certified. Failure to obtain COA certification during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment and may result in termination of employment.
2. Failure to Obtain Certification. In all cases the Health Technician (Ophthalmology) must actively pursue meeting certification requirements starting from the date of appointment. At the time of appointment the supervisor will provide the uncertified Health Technician (Ophthalmology) with the written requirement to obtain certification the date by which the certification must be acquired and the consequences for not becoming certified by the deadline. Failure to become certified within two years from date of appointment will result in removal from the Health Technician (Ophthalmology) GS-0640 series and may result in termination of employment.
3. Loss of Credentials. A Health Technician (Ophthalmology) who fails to maintain the required certification must be removed from the occupation which may also result in termination of employment.

1. Knowledge of general outpatient clinical policies and procedures in a healthcare environment;
2. Ability to obtain document and record demographic and medical information from patients in order to develop an accurate medical record;
3. Ability to use basic ophthalmic equipment; and
4. Knowledge of basic disinfection of non-critical reusable medical equipment.

1. Knowledge of anatomy and function of the eye and basic ocular pharmacology;
2. Knowledge of outpatient eye care policies and procedures in a health care environment;
3. Ability to use basic ophthalmic diagnostic equipment to perform preliminary ocular testing;
4. Ability to perform minor extraocular surgical assisting; and
5. Ability to provide eye care patient education.

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