Health Technician (Ophthalmology)

Duties and responsibilities include, but not limited to:

Check and performs calibration of technical ophthalmology screening instruments.
Obtain 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.
Measure eyeglass prescription using manual or automated lensometer, recording sphere, cylinder, axis, and prism in both plus and minus cylinder.
Perform pupil evaluation recording pupil size, shape, symmetry, reaction to light and accommodation. Performs swinging flashlight test to detect a relative afferent pupillary defect.
Perform basic refractometry utilizing an auto refraction or habitual glass prescription in the phoropter. Must be competent at distance and near refractions and complex refractions.
Instill eye medications (drops or ointments, including anesthetic, dye, dilating drops, cycloplegic drops , or antibiotics).
Measure intraocular pressure with standard techniques, including Goldmann applanation tonometry.
Perform pachymetry to determine corneal thickness and manual keratometry or automated topography to determine corneal curvature.
Perform intra-ocular lens calculations using an IOL Master or equivalent device.
Perform automated visual field testing using various perimetry machines.
Perform external photographs and fundus photography.
Perform optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the anterior segment, retina and optic nerve.
Perform patient screening and triage of potentially urgent ocular conditions.
Assist 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.
Educate patients and legal authorized representatives in eye care, including preoperative and postoperative instructions.
Assist in the education and training of medical students, residents and fellows in those facilities with medical school affiliations.
Ensure 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.
Able to work independently to do basic exam- including refraction, tonometry and non mydriatic photos.

Requirements

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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver’s 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.
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
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.
Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications
Basic Requirements (all applicants must meet the following basic requirements):

Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified candidates in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.)
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 associate’s degree in a health care related degree. OR
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 JCAHPO’s entry-level certification examination for a Health Technician (Ophthalmology).
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).