Health Technician (Optometry)

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 as a health technician or assistant in the health care field demonstrating the applicant’s ability to perform the work or by demonstrating a basic understanding of work in the health care field; OR Education. Successful completion of two academic years above high school with a minimum of 12 semester hours related to health technician/assistant or health technician (optometry)/assistant or associate degree, or completion of an independent study course in an optometry related technician or assistant field; OR Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying. Examples are listed below: Six months of experience comparable to the next lower level which demonstrates the knowledge of optometry assistant theory and practices and general understanding of the health technician/assistant duties and one year above high school with a minimum of six semester hours of health technician/assistant or health technician (optometry)/assistant related courses. Successful completion of a course for health care technicians or assistants, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or hospital training in a program given by the U.S. Armed Forces, the U.S. Maritime Service, or the U.S. Public Health Service, may be substituted on a month-for-month basis. English Language Proficiency. Health Technician (Optometry) candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grade Determinations, Health Technician (Optometry), GS-07: Experience.One year of experience comparable to the next lower level (GS-06) which demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled. Examples of experience at this level include, but are not limited to: operates and monitors commonly used equipment performing basic screening procedures; understands basic hygiene, cleaning and disinfection of reusable medical equipment (RME) instruments and ophthalmic equipment; assists optometry staff by obtaining an accurate medical/ophthalmic history, as well as coding and entering eye testing performed on the encounter form; deviations from regular procedures, unanticipated problems and unfamiliar situations are referred to the supervisor for a decision or assistance; and procedures performed under supervision from senior optometry personnel. Additionally the knowledge, skills, and abilities at the GS-06 level are: Ability to provide patient education for eye health and/or vision conditions, to include assisting with patient contact lens insertion, removal and hygiene (cleaning and disinfection) care. Ability to accurately enter into a phoropter the autorefractometry or habitual refractive prescription (i.e., eyeglasses prescription) or lensometer findings, including sphere, cylinder and axis. Ability to perform patient spectacle fitting and dispensing, including selection of appropriate frame, ophthalmic lenses, interpupillary measurements (distance and near) and proper segment height determination, as well as the ability to transpose sphere, cylinder and axis. Ability to provide basic triage of patient telephone calls or optometry requests. Knowledge of ophthalmic medications and supplies needed in the process of restocking the eye clinic exam rooms. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities.In addition to meeting the experience or educational requirements for this grade level, the candidate must fully demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to determine preliminary objective estimate and/or refinement of the optical status of the eye, not to include the patient’s final subjective refraction. Ability to triage and manage eyeglasses issues (e.g., measurement of vertex distance, base curve, prism correction, center thickness, slab off, Fresnel prism, decentration, etc.). Ability to perform accurate assessment of accommodation, near point of convergence and ocular alignment (far and near). Ability to assist the eye care provider (optometrist or ophthalmologist) with ophthalmic procedures. Ability to assist with obtaining accurate ocular cultures and smears. Knowledge and ability to provide advanced patient education for eye health and/or vision conditions. Preferred Experience: Knowledge in working with legally blinded patients in Low Vision clinic, specialty visual acuity testing such as Low Vision History, ETDRS and Feinbloom (including knowledge of M notation) Training in use of Low Vision Devices, including hand magnifiers such as CCTV and testing patients with Traumatic Brain Injury Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-07. Physical Requirements: Work is sedentary but also demands standing, walking, bending, twisting, and carrying light items. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 for additional information. Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.
This position is located at the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center, located in Bay Pines, FL. This Optometry Health Technician functions primarily in the role of optometric medical personnel in the Eye Clinic and is responsible for assisting the Ophthalmology and Optometry staff/resident physicians in the care of patients requiring optometric preliminary diagnostic tests and procedures in the eye clinic.