Health Technician (Optometry)

Summary

Health Technicians (Optometry) at the Jacksonville 1 VA Clinic NFSG Veterans Healthcare System support Optometrists in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, follow-up care and patient counseling. The Health Technician (Optometry) triages patient phone calls or requests; ensures exam rooms are stocked with adequate supplies; instructs patients on administration of eye drops and provider instructions; accurately measures, compares, and evaluates pupillary responses as well as other supportive tasks.

Duties

• Incumbent is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the clinics and performs preliminary examination of patients prior to examination by residents and attending physicians. Incumbent has 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 and standard ophthalmic equipment; and knowledge of basic disinfection of non-critical and critical reusable medical equipment. Incumbent has 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. 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. Clinical Responsibilities-included but not limited to Knowledge of basic eye anatomy and function. Sterilizes and cares for ophthalmic instruments. Performs hard and soft contact lens instruction Assists with eye procedures in clinic and selects, sterilizes, and cares for ophthalmic instruments. Administers eye drops under the supervision of an eye care provider (optometrist or ophthalmologist). Obtains an accurate medical and ophthalmic history. Performs basic imaging testing such as corneal topography; external photography; fundus photography; optical coherence tomography; A and B-scans. Performs basic ocular testing such as pachymetry, tear production with test strips, glare testing, stereo acuity, contrast sensitivity, potential acuity meter, measuring spectacles using both automated and manual lensometry and transposing cylinders. Estimates the anterior chamber depth via slit lamp. Triages patient phone calls or requests. Ensures exam rooms are stocked with adequate supplies. Assists in the training of students at the eye clinics when applicable and provides support to the clinic performing telephone triage and answering patient inquiries, Inquires and documents in the patient record patient's allergies before medication is administered and maintains continual observation of patients for signs of adverse reactions to medication or injections used for diagnostic examinations. Assigned the duty of identifying patients in need of service, triaging patients for imaging and other eye care services, initiating consultations and examination procedures, generating clinical documentation, and performing diagnostic and therapeutic tasks. Measures and records visual acuity, with and without pinhole. Performs user level maintenance of all equipment. Inventories, replaces, orders all medications, equipment, and supplies while documenting/tracking expiration dates on opened medication bottles. Performs other testing/procedures as requested by provider Work Schedule: 7:30am - 4:30pm, Monday through Friday Functional Statement #: 55779F, 55780F, 55781F, 55461F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Requirements

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 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. 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.

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.