Summary

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families - caregivers - and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans?

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• Experience and Education: (1) Experience
• One year of experience in a health care field - such as but not limited to nursing - medical assistant - or health technician
• OR (2) Education: Two years above high school with a minimum of six semester hours directly related to a health care field or associate's degree in a health care related degree
• OR (3) Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying
• Examples are listed below: (a) Six months of experience in the health care field
• and one year above high school
• or (b) Six months of experience in the health care field and successful completion of a course for health care technicians - hospital corpsmen - medical service specialists - or ophthalmology technicians given by the U.S. Armed Forces
• or (c) Six months of experience in the health care field and completion of an independent study course in Ophthalmic Medical Assisting
• Certification: All applicants must be certified as a Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) with the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO)
• The COA certification is JCAHPO's entry-level certification examination for a Health Technician (Ophthalmology)
• Exception: Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the minimum qualification requirements may be appointed as a graduate Health Technician (Ophthalmology) under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(c)(2)(B)
• The appointing official may waive the requirement of certification for a period not to exceed two years for a Health Technician (Ophthalmology) that provides care under the supervision of an Ophthalmologist
• The exception only applies below the full performance level
• For grade levels at or above the full performance level the candidate must be certified
• Failure to obtain COA certification during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment and may result in termination of employment
• Foreign Education
• To be creditable - education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs
• Physical Requirements
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019
• Moderate lifting and carrying
• pushing
• reaching above shoulders
• use of fingers - both hands required
• walking and standing
• kneeling
• repeated bending
• near and far vision (correctable)
• depth perception
• ability to distinguish basic colors and shades of color
• mental and emotional stability
• working closely with others
• English Language Proficiency
• Health Technicians (Ophthalmology) must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 38 U.S.C. 7407(d)
• 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)
• Preferred Experience: **SERVICE LINE PLEASE ADVISE** Grade Determinations: Health Technician (Ophthalmology) (Advanced) - GS-09 Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-8 grade level
• Assignment: For all assignments above the full performance level - the higher level duties must consist of significant scope - administrative independence - complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• At the Advanced level - the Health Technician (Ophthalmology) (Advanced) performs difficult ophthalmic technical duties with considerable latitude for the exercise of independent judgment
• Duties include but are not limited to: refractometry utilizing retinoscopy to determine spectacle prescription
• kinetic visual field testing (Goldmann)
• intraocular pressure measurements by applanation tonometry and other current methods
• pupil evaluation recording pupil size - shape - symmetry - reaction to light and accommodation - and any abnormalities - including relative afferent pupillary defect
• and basic slit lamp bio-microscopy evaluation to check for abnormalities prior to dilation (i.e.: anterior chamber depth/iris anomalies)
• The technician may perform advanced color vision testing of the entire visual spectrum to detect complex color vision defects such as monochromats - dichromats and anomalous trichromats
• Measures eyeglass prescriptions using manual lensometer - recording sphere - cylinder - axis and prism in both plus and minus cylinder
• Performs A-scan ultrasonography - including intra-ocular lens calculations - using immersion A-scan on eyes with complex pathology such as corneal scarring - irregular and/or high astigmatism - zonular weakness - high refractive error that requires multiple alternative calculating formulas
• Performs B-scan ultrasonography to identify intraocular masses or abnormalities
• Determines the corneal curvature by either manual keratometry or automated topography
• Perfomrs fouorescein or indocyanine green (icg) angiography - with diagnostic photography of retinal vessels
• Perfomrs slit lamp photography
• May perform anterior segment OCT - confocal microscopy - electroretinography - electrooculography - and visual evoked potential
• Assists in minor clinical surgical procedures - including laser surgery and intravitreal injections
• Scrub technician assist in main OR surgical procedures - set up of sterile fields - operation and maintenance of phacoemulsification and vitrectomy units - cryosurgery - endolaser units - all of which required a through understanding of complete instrumentation and the ability to troubleshoot problems quickly and efficiently during surgical procedures and care of instruments
• Assist with the microbiology testing of patients with sight-threatening ocular infections - preparing instrumentation and media for intraocular biopsy and/or culture
• Perfomrs thorough preparatory cleaning of critical resuable mediacl equipment in the operating room
• Responsible for training other Health Technicians (Ophthalmology)
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSA)
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1
• Knowledge of advanced clinical optics - advanced ocular motility - advanced diagnostic testing - and microbiology testing
• 2
• Knowledge of ophthalmic surgical instruments
• 3.Knowledge of appropriate preparatory cleaning of reusable medical equipment
• 4
• Ability to assist in ophthalmic surgical procedures performed in the main operation room
• References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G52 - Dated 2/7/2018
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-09
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS-09.

Duties

• Ophthalmology Technicians in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) support Ophthalmologists in diagnosis - treatment - prevention - follow-up care and patient counseling
• At the Advanced Level - Health Technician (Ophthalmology) performs difficult ophthalmic technical duties with considerable latitude for the exercise of independent judgment
• The higher-level duties consist of significant scope - administrative independence - complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard
• The Health Technician (Ophthalmology) at the advanced level performs difficult ophthalmic technical tasks with considerable latitude for the exercise of independent judgment
• In addition to the duties expected of the GS-8 level - the following clinical duties and responsibilities are expected at the GS-9 Advanced Technician assignment: Advanced refractometry including prisms to determine spectacle prescription
• Kinetic visual field testing
• Intraocular pressure measurements by applanation tonometry and other current methods
• Pupil evaluation recording pupil size - shape - symmetry - reaction to light and accommodation - and any abnormalities - including relative afferent pupillary defect
• May perform advanced color vision testing of the entire visual spectrum to detect complex color vision defects such as monochromats - dichromats and anomalous trichromats
• Performs A-scan ultrasonography - including intra-ocular lens calculations - using immersion A- scan on eyes with complex pathology such as corneal scarring - irregular and/or high astigmatism - zonular weakness - high refractive error that requires multiple alternative calculating formulas
• Performs UBM-scan ultrasonography
• Performs fluorescein (FA) or indocyanine green (ICG) angiography - with diagnostic photography of retinal vessels
• Performs slit lamp photography
• May perform diagnostic anterior segment imaging
• Assists in minor clinical surgical procedures - including laser surgery and intravitreal injections
• May assist as scrub technician in main OR surgical procedures - set up of sterile fields - operation and maintenance of phacoemulsification and vitrectomy units - cryosurgery - endolaser units - all of which require a thorough understanding of complex instrumentation and the ability to troubleshoot problems quickly and efficiently during surgical procedures and care of instruments
• Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m
• to 4:30 p.m
• Telework: Not authorized
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 642-05943-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.