Ophthalmic Technician Assistant

The Wilmer Eye Institute of Johns Hopkins University has an exciting opportunity for exceptional candidates to train for a career as an Ophthalmic Technician, no experience required. Start your career in Ophthalmology with one of the leading organizations in delivering state-of-the art eye care, training future healthcare leaders, and conducting cutting-edge research. We have a robust training program that will provide you with a strong foundation to pursue a multitude of career paths beyond Ophthalmic Technician such as Clinic Manager, Ophthalmic Clinic Supervisor, Assistant Administrator, Orthoptist, Optometrist, Marketing, IT, and Research, to name a few. This is also an opportunity for pre-med students to gain clinical experience during their gap year or prior to applying to medical school, as well. No evening or weekend work required. Follow this link to learn more, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/wilmer/education/clinical-training/ophthalmic_technician.html

The Department of Ophthalmology is seeking Ophthalmic Technician Assistant , who, with close supervision and instruction, will learn to assist the Ophthalmologist with patient care by performing ophthalmic testing as outlined below. This position's primary role is to provide technician/clinical support to physicians. They will be required to work at any one of Wilmer's locations based on the clinics needs primarily supporting the Southern Satellites: Bethesda, Columbia, Frederick and Odenton. Travel is required.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities:

Obtain & Concisely Record an Accurate Patient History

• Chief complaint
• Past ocular history
• Family history
• Systemic illnesses
• Medications
• Allergies and drug reactions
• Social history

Basic Skills & Lensometry

• Measure visual acuity at distance and near utilizing test appropriate for age and education, and records accurately.
• Perform pinhole testing when indicated.
• Perform and record contrast sensitivity.
• Perform Ishihara or HRR color vision testing.
• Accurately measure and record current lens power with a lensometer.
• Perform and record Ex ophthalmometry.
• Perform and record Amsler grid.
• Perform and record Schirmer testing.
• Evaluate pupillary reactions, including afferent pupillary defect.
• Estimate anterior chamber depth.
• Able to properly operate common non-automated and automated ophthalmic equipment including, but not limited to, IOL Master, Orb-scan, bright field acuity testing (BAT), potential acuity meter (PAM), autorefractor, corneal pachymetry, Humphrey visual field, Goldmann visual field, OCT, HRT, Lenstar.

Patient Services

• Apply proper ocular dressings and shields.
• Follow divisional protocols for eye drop instillation, including cycloplegics and topical anesthetics.
• Properly instill eye drops
• Label newly opened bottles with expiration dates.
• Understand the indications / contraindications for use in dilation.
• Measure interpupillary distances, evaluate spectacle fit.
• Properly assist physically or visually disabled patients.
• Adhere to regulations regarding drug samples and drug sample logs.

Basic Tonometry

• Perform accurate Goldmann applanation tonometry and properly disinfect the tonometer.
• Perform accurate Tono-pen tonometry and properly disinfect and store the tonometer.
• Perform accurate Eye Care tonometry.
• Understand the principals of scleral rigidity and the factors that alter intraocular pressure.

Instrument Maintenance

• Perform routine instrument maintenance on all ophthalmic equipment.
• Stock examination rooms in assigned area and ensure medication expiration dates are current.
• Disinfect and maintain examination rooms.

General Medical Knowledge

• Maintain current CPR certification.
• Understand basic ocular anatomy and physiology, systemic diseases, ocular diseases and ocular emergencies.
• Understand and practice the fundamentals of microbial control.
• Must complete currently required JHMI courses, such as: Self learning educational packets, HIPAA regulations, Conflict of Interest
• Complete Annual Review paperwork in a timely manner.
• Complete training in software such as Epic, POE, TAP, Forum, Oculab, Allscripts
• Assist physician chair side as a scribe.

Possible Additional Duties & Responsibilities

• Surgical assisting with minor outpatient procedures; basic instrument care.
• Perform basic slit lamp evaluation of anterior chamber depth.
• Measure axial length with A-scan biometry.
• Perform protocol refractometry or other testing for clinical trials.
• Instruct patients in contact lens care, insertion and removal.
• Neuro-physiologic testing including electroretinogram (ERG), Multi-focal electroretinogram (MFERG), visual evoked potential (VEP), Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope (SLO)
• Other duties that may be assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School Diploma or graduation equivalent.
• Must obtain Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) from Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO) within 18 months of start date. CPR certification also required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with ophthalmic and general medical terminology.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position for 50% of the time.

• Ability to move about to escort patients to the exam rooms and different departments, gather and replace supplies, and stock rooms.

• Constantly positions self to adjust ophthalmic equipment in order to perform exams.

• Ability to manipulate extremely small objects.

• The person in this position frequently communicates with patients. Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations.

• Ability to safely utilize various types of Ophthalmic Equipment to directly contact the patient’s eye.

• Occasionally lifts and transports supplies up to 20 lbs.

• Ability to concentrate on instruments and other visual stimuli.

• Observation of and rapid reaction to changeable situations.

Classified Title: Ophthalmic Technician Assistant
Role/Level/Range: ACRO40/E/02/CD
Starting Salary Range: $17.00 - $30.00 HRLY ($55,640 targeted; Commensurate with experience)
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Exempt Status: Non-Exempt
Location: School of Medicine Campus
Department name: ​​​​​​​SOM Oph General Administration
Personnel area: School of Medicine 

Please refer to the job description above to see which forms of equivalency are permitted for this position. If permitted, equivalencies will follow these guidelines:
JHU Equivalency Formula: 30 undergraduate degree credits (semester hours) or 18 graduate degree credits may substitute for one year of experience. Additional related experience may substitute for required education on the same basis. For jobs where equivalency is permitted, up to two years of non-related college course work may be applied towards the total minimum education/experience required for the respective job.

**Applicants who do not meet the posted requirements but are completing their final academic semester/quarter will be considered eligible for employment and may be asked to provide additional information confirming their academic completion date.

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check. Johns Hopkins is committed to hiring individuals with a justice-involved background, consistent with applicable policies and current practice. A prior criminal history does not automatically preclude candidates from employment at Johns Hopkins University. In accordance with applicable law, the university will review, on an individual basis, the date of a candidate’s conviction, the nature of the conviction and how the conviction relates to an essential job-related qualification or function.

The Johns Hopkins University values diversity, equity and inclusion and advances these through our key strategic framework, the JHU Roadmap on Diversity and Inclusion .

Johns Hopkins has mandated COVID-19 and influenza vaccines, as applicable. The COVID-19 vaccine does not apply to positions located in the State of Florida. Exceptions to the COVID and flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. For additional information, applicants for SOM positions should visit https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine/ and all other JHU applicants should visit https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/health-safety/covid-vaccination-information/ .

The following additional provisions may apply, depending on campus. Your recruiter will advise accordingly.

The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.

Note: Job Postings are updated daily and remain online until filled.