Health Technician (Ophthalmology)

This position serves to support Ophthalmologists in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, follow-up care and patient counseling. They perform a range of standard, but complex, diagnostic procedures, assisting during clinic-based surgical procedures, educating patients and legal representatives, and assisting with the education of medical students and residents.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

At the GS-0640-8 grade level, a Health Technician (Ophthalmology) serves at the Full Performance Level within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Technicians at this tier operate with a high degree of independence under the general supervision of an Ophthalmologist or Chief Lead Technician. They are responsible for executing standard but highly complex diagnostic protocols and surgical assistance.

Major duties for this position may include (but are not limited to):

• Checks and performs calibration of technical ophthalmology screening instruments.
• Obtains patient physical history, to include chief complaint; reason for visit, pertinent signs and symptoms, current medication allergies; past medical history both ocular and general medical history; 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 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 light test to detect a relative afferent pupillary defect.
• Performs basic refractometry utilizing an autorefraction or habitual eyeglass prescription in the phoropter.
• Instills eye medications (drops or ointment, including anesthetic, dye, dilating drops, cycloplegic drops, or antibiotic).
• Measures intraocular pressure with standard techniques, including Goldmann applanation tonometry.
• Performs pachymetry to determine corneal thickness and manual keratometry or automated topography to determine corneal curvature.
• Performs intra-ocular lens calculations using IOL Master or equivalent device.
• Performs automated visual field testing using various perimetry techniques.
• 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 eyelid lesions, cultures of conjunctiva or cornea; reformation of anterior chamber; evacuation of hyphema repositioning of corneal endothelial grafts; intravitreal injections; and laser 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 to repairs to biomedical engineering.
• Performs other duties as necessary.

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

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.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 0800-1630 PM EST
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 62401F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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.
• Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) or higher via the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO)

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).

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/.

• 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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/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.