Clarification from the agency

All US Citizens NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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The Health Technician (Ophthalmology) at this level performs difficult ophthalmic technical duties with considerable latitude for the exercise of independent judgement. The Health Technician (Ophthalmology) performs a range of standard, but complex, diagnostic procedures, assists during clinic-based surgical procedures, provides surgical technician duties for ophthalmology surgical cases in the main operating room (OR), educates patients and legal representatives, and assists with the education of medical students and residents.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Refractometry utilizing retinoscopy to determine spectacle prescription
• Intraocular pressure measurements by applanation tonometry and other current methods
• Pupil evaluation recording pupil size, share, symmetry, reaction to light and accommodation and any abnormalities, including relative afferent pupillary defect.
• 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.
• Assists in minor clinical surgical procedures, including laser surgery and intravitreal injections.
• Scrub technician assists 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.
• Assists with microbiology testing of patients with sight-threatening ocular infections, preparing instrumentation and media for intraocular biopsy and/or culture.
• Performs thorough preparatory cleaning of critical reusable medical equipment in the operating room.
• Responsible for training other health technicians (ophthalmology).

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

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:

• US Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Experience and Education:
  • Experience. One year of experience in a health care field, such as but not limited to nursing, medical assistant, or health technician. OR
  • 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
• 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).
• 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).

• Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the GS-8 grade level. Examples of experience include but not limited to: Performs a range of standard, but complex, diagnostic procedures with responsibility for checking calibration of instruments prior to the procedure. Responsible for obtaining patient physical history, to include chief complaint; reason for visit; pertinent signs/symptoms; past 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, and any abnormalities, including relative afferent pupillary defect. Performs basic refractometry utilizing an auto refraction or habitual glass prescription in the phoropter. Instills eye medications (i.e., drops or ointments, including anesthetic, dye, dilation, cycloplegic, or antibiotics. Responsible for measuring intraocular pressure of the eye utilizing 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 the IOL Master. Performs automated visual field testing using various perimetry machines. Performance of external photographs and fundus photography. Performs optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the anterior segment, retina and optic nerve. Performs patient screening and triage emergencies identifying ocular emergencies. Performs patient screening and telephone triage for immediate care. 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.
• 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; and
  4. Ability to assist in ophthalmic surgical procedures performed in the main operation room.

Preferred Experience: COA

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-9.

Physical Requirements: The administrative work is primarily sedentary but there is also standing, walking bending, reaching, lifting and carrying light objects such as files. The clinical tasks require fine motor skills and dexterity for working with ophthalmic equipment. Operation of several different devices under dim illumination for the examination of patients. Various equipment items and some heavy objects must be moved or relocated, e.g., visual field machine.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.