Health Technician; Ophthalmology

Summary

Ophthalmology Technicians in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) support Ophthalmologists in diagnosis - treatment - prevention - follow-up care and patient counseling. Incumbent will report to the Surgical Service of the Orlando VA Healthcare System in Orlando (Lake Nona) - Florida.

• The Health Technician (Ophthalmology) at this level performs a range of standard - but complex - diagnostic procedures
• Duties and responsibilities 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 hyphemia - repositioning of corneal endothelial grafts - intra[1]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
• Work Schedule:
  
  9 Hours for 4 Days with 1 Saturday 7:00am-3:30pm per Pay Period (bi-weekly) Compressed/Flexible:
  Available