Summary

The incumbent serves as a member of the Optometry Section at the VA Boston Healthcare System. The Health Technician (Optometry) performs duties to include - but not limited to - measuring and recording visual acuity (with use of pinhole testing as indicated); obtaining accurate potential acuity meter - laser interferometry - contrast sensitivity or other specialized visual acuity measurements; evaluating pupillary light responses; reading spectacle prescriptions - and scoring color vision tests.

Qualifications

COVERAGE. The following are requirements for appointment as a Health Technician (Optometry) in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). These requirements apply to all VHA Health Technicians (Optometry) in the General Schedule (GS)-0640 series.

Basic Requirements:

• a
• Citizenship
• Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.)
• b
• Experience and Education
• (1) 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 (2) 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 or associate degree - or completion of an independent study course in an optometry related technician or assistant field
• OR (3) 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
• c
• Licensure/Certification/Registration
• None
• GRADE DETERMINATIONS
• In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates
• a
• Health Technician (Optometry) - GS-04 (1) Experience
• None beyond the basic requirements
• (2) Assignment
• Employees at this grade level serve in a health technician (optometry) entry level position
• More experienced staff members guide and provide daily direct supervision for the health technicians (optometry)
• b
• Health Technician (Optometry) - GS-05 (1) Experience
• One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade
• (2) Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSA)
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of basic eye anatomy and function
• (b) Ability to obtain - document and record ophthalmic and medical information from patients in order to develop an accurate electronic progress note
• (c) Ability to practice basic hygiene and infection control in a patient care setting
• (d) Ability to follow eye clinic and patient care medical policies and procedures
• (e) Ability to perform minor eyeglasses repairs - such as replacing nose pads and screws
• (3) Assignment
• Employees at this grade level serve as developmental level 1 health technicians (optometry)
• It is expected they receive guidance from more experienced staff members for patient issues and require daily and direct contact with senior optometry personnel at the work site
• c
• Health Technician (Optometry) - GS-06 (1) Experience
• One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade
• (2) Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) 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
• (b) 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
• (c) 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
• (d) Ability to provide basic triage of patient telephone calls or optometry requests
• (e) Knowledge of ophthalmic medications and supplies needed in the process of restocking the eye clinic exam rooms
• (3) Assignment
• Employees at this grade level serve as developmental level 2 health technicians (optometry)
• The technicians operate and monitor commonly used equipment performing basic screening procedures
• The health technicians (optometry) understand basic hygiene - cleaning and disinfection of reusable medical equipment (RME) instruments and ophthalmic equipment
• At this level - the technicians assist optometry staff by obtaining an accurate medical/ophthalmic history - as well as coding and entering eye testing performed on the encounter form
• Deviations from regular procedures - unanticipated problems and unfamiliar situations are referred to the supervisor for a decision or assistance
• Assignments at this level involve procedures performed under supervision from senior optometry personnel
• d
• Health Technician (Optometry) - GS-07 (1) Experience
• One year of experience comparable to the next lower level which demonstrates the knowledge - skills and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled
• (2) Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills and Abilities
• In addition to meeting the experience or educational requirements for this grade level - the candidate must fully demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) 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
• (b) 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.)
• (c) Ability to perform accurate assessment of accommodation - near point of convergence and ocular alignment (far and near)
• (d) Ability to assist the eye care provider (optometrist or ophthalmologist) with ophthalmic procedures
• (e) Ability to assist with obtaining accurate ocular cultures and smears
• (f) Knowledge and ability to provide advanced patient education for eye health and/or vision conditions
• (3) Assignment
• Employee at this grade level serves as a full performance level health technician (optometry)
• The technicians perform duties such as measuring and recording visual acuity (with use of pinhole testing as indicated) - obtaining accurate potential acuity meter - laser interferometry - contrast sensitivity or other specialized visual acuity measurements
• The technicians also evaluate pupillary light responses and measure pupil size - determine the presence or absence of fusion and perform stereoacuity measurements
• The health technicians (optometry) perform Amsler grid testing - administer eye drops under the supervision of an eye care provider (optometrist or ophthalmologist) - perform basic tonometry (e.g. - non-contact - Goldmann - Tono-Pen) and estimate the anterior chamber depth with a penlight or slit lamp biomicroscope
• The technicians are skilled in properly reading a basic spectacle prescription using an automated or manual lensometer - obtaining accurate autorefractometry and keratometry measurements - performing confrontation and standard automated visual field testing and administering and scoring basic color vision tests (e.g. - pseudoischromatic plates - Farnsworth D-15)
• The technicians are also adept at measuring and recording corneal thickness by pachymetry as well as performance of advanced corneal measurements - exophthalmometry - tear testing and ocular imaging (e.g. - stereo fundus - basic slit lamp biomicroscopy - intraocular lens master measurements - ocular ultrasonography - posterior segment optical coherence tomography - fundus autofluorescence and/or ocular angiography).

Duties

• Measures and records visual acuity (with use of pinhole testing as indicated)
• Obtains accurate potential acuity meter - laser interferometry - contrast sensitivity or other specialized visual acuity measurements
• Evaluates pupillary light responses and measure pupil size
• Determines the presence or absence of fusion and perform stereoacuity measurements
• Performs Amsler grid testing
• Administers eye drops under the supervision of an eye care provider (optometrist or ophthalmologist)
• Performs basic tonometry (e.g. - non-contact - Goldmann - Tono-Pen)
• Estimates the anterior chamber depth with a penlight or slit lamp biomicroscope
• Properly reads a basic spectacle prescription using an automated or manual lensometer
• Obtains accurate autorefractometry and keratometry measurements
• Performs confrontation and standard automated visual field testing and administering and scoring basic color vision tests (e.g. - pseudoischromatic plates - Farnsworth D-15)
• Measures and records corneal thickness by pachymetry as well as performance of advanced corneal measurements - exophthalmometry - tear testing and ocular imaging (e.g. - stereo fundus - basic slit lamp biomicroscopy - intraocular lens master measurements - ocular ultrasonography - posterior segment optical coherence tomography - fundus autofluorescence and/or ocular angiography)
• Work Schedule: Days Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
• Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
• Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: F03147_Health_Tech_Optometry_GS-0640-04 (Entry Level) F03148_Health_Tech_Optometry_GS-0640-05 (Developmental Level 1) F03149_Health_Tech_Optometry_GS-0640-06 (Developmental Level 2) F03021_Health_Tech_Optometry_GS-0640-07 (Full Performance Level) Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized