Summary

Ophthalmology Technicians in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) support Ophthalmologists in diagnosis - treatment - prevention - follow-up care and patient counseling. The Health Technician (Ophthalmology) performs a range of standard - but complex - diagnostic procedures - assists during clinic-based surgical procedures - educates patients and legal representatives - assists with the education of medical students and residents.

Duties

• This position is at the West Palm Beach VAMC
• The technician will work independently seeing patients and performing a history - lensometry - refraction - tonometry - and non mydriatic photos
• This data will then be uploaded and then reviewed and finalized by a provider (MD or OD) asynchronously along with glasses prescription disposition
• Duties and responsibilities include - but 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 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
• 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
• Must be competent at distance and near refractions and complex refractions
• Instills eye medications (drops or ointments - including anesthetic - dye - dilating drops - cycloplegic drops - or antibiotics)
• 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 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 hyphema - repositioning of corneal endothelial grafts - intra-vitreous 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
• Able to work independently to do basic exam- including refraction - tonometry and non mydriatic photos
• Work Schedule: Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Telework: Not authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Financial Disclosure Report: Not required