Health Technician (Ophthalmology)

Ophthalmic Technician

Duties 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 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.
• 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.
• Performs fluorescein or indocyanine green (ICG) angiography, with diagnostic photography of retinal vessels.

Work Schedule: Full Time, Monday - Friday 8-4:30pm.

Compressed/Flexible: May be available

Telework: Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: GS8: 91978-0. GS7: 91977-0. GS6: 91976-0

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized