Ophthalmic Assistant

The Ophthalmic Technician is responsible for recording the ophthalmic history of patients, performing preliminary assessments, and assisting with various diagnostic tests and procedures. This role also involves maintaining equipment and supplies, and serving as a resource to new staff.

The hours for this position are Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 5:00pm.

Hourly Breakdown of salary range: Minimum $27.64 - Midpoint $34.61 - Maximum $41.58

Key Responsibilities:

Record ophthalmic history and perform preliminary assessments, including visual acuity, color vision testing, Schirmer testing, visual field exams, ocular motility, pupil assessment, and refraction.
Assist with eye photography, Humphrey visual testing, and fundus photography.
Maintain and care for equipment and surgical instruments, ensuring adequate levels of supplies.
Serve as a resource to new staff.

Job Specific Competencies:
Patient Care:

• Demonstrate competence, caring, and compassion when performing technical and supportive patient care skills, incorporating the patient’s plan of care and following approved policies and procedures.
• Provide explanations when obtaining vital signs or performing other technical skills or ocular assessments.
• Use aseptic techniques and infection control measures in the performance of duties.
• Prepare and assist patients undergoing treatment, examinations, and procedures.
• Recognize patient care priorities, treatment plans, objectives, and potential crises.
• Communicate patient needs and unusual occurrences with physicians and patients/families.
• Accurately document and communicate interventions and measurements to appropriate healthcare providers.
• Complete accurate, concise, and legible documentation on patient hospital records under supervision.

Technical Skills:

Initiate patient work-ups in the ophthalmology clinic in a timely manner, including:

• Instilling ophthalmic dilating drops/ointments
• Visual acuities (numbers, letters)
• Pin-hole acuities
• Deriving past medical and ocular history
• Confrontational visual field
• Amsler automated and manual lensometry
• Amsler Grid Testing
• Pupil evaluation and iris assessment
• Recognizing extraocular muscle imbalance
• Stereopsis testing
• Schirmer’s tear test
• Estimation of anterior chamber depth
• Automated perimetry
• Goldmann tonometry
• Tono-Pen tonometry
• Color vision testing (Ishihara)
• Refraction (plus cylinder utilizing both the phoropter and trial frames)
• Use of distometer
• Reinforcement of patient education
• Fundus and external photos
• Keratometry, photokeratometry, and corneal topography
• A-scan Ultrasound Biometry
• Computer entry and analysis of intraocular lens calculations and distribution of results according to policy

Maintenance and Environment:

• Assist in maintaining a clean, safe, and therapeutic environment.
• Check equipment/supplies for expiration dates, electrical safety tags, intactness, and usability.
• Clean equipment and return it to the proper place.
• Report equipment and supplies needing replacement or repair.
• Stock rooms, carts, cabinets, etc., as assigned/requested.

Perform other duties as assigned.

MD Anderson offers our employees:
 

• Paid employee medical benefits (zero premium) starting on first day for employees who work 30 or more hours per week
• Group Dental, Vision, Life, AD&D and Disability coverage
• Paid time off (PTO) and Extended Illness Bank (EIB) paid leave accruals
• Paid institutional holidays, wellness leave, childcare leave, and other paid leave programs
• Tuition Assistance Program after six months of service
• Teachers Retirement System defined-benefit pension plan and two voluntary retirement plans
• Employer paid life, AD&D and an illness-related reduced salary pay program
• Extensive wellness, recognition, fitness, employee health programs and employee resource groups