Health Technician (Optometry)

Description:

The Health Technician (Optometry) position primary function is to provide support to the Optometry outpatient clinic in Ventura County. Performs duties such as measuring and recording visual acuity (with use of pinhole testing), obtaining accurate potential acuity meter, laser interferometry, contrast sensitivity or other specialized visual acuity measurements.

Requirements:

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. Education or Experience: 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; o r associate degree; o r 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: (a)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

(b)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). 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). All individuals employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of April 9, 2021 are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/trademark/registration/certification.

Grade Determinations: GS-6 Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade. Applicant must meet the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed below: 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. Grade Determinations: GS-7 Experience: One year of experience comparable to the next lower level (GS-6) which demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled. Applicant must meet the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed below 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. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G68 - Health Technician (Optometry) Qualification Standards.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-6 to GS-7.

Physical Requirements: Lifting, pushing, pulling of up to 35 lbs. Pushing for up to 1-2 hours intermittently. Continuous use of computer for 2-4 hours including use of keyboard and mouse. Prolonged repeated wrist movement using equipment. Reaching above shoulder required. Ability to hear people speaking and to be able to answer the phone. Manual dexterity ability. Ability for rapid metal and muscular coordination simultaneously required. Newar vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other. Requires use of both hands. Requires use of both legs or alternate mode of mobility (i.e. wheelchair).