What are the responsibilities and job description for the OPTOMETRIST position at Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired?
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
Provide clinical services to clinic patients, including vision examinations and eye health screenings, prescriptions of lens and frames, and referrals to internal and external resources.
General Requirements
Requires a high level of professionalism, confidentiality, communication, teamwork, creativity, problem solving, planning and organizational skills. Must have empathy, sensitivity, flexibility, and ability to get along well with a wide variety of personalities. Must be goal oriented and have the ability to manage multiple tasks. Requires excellent diagnostic skills, clear understanding of agency services and overall knowledge of community resources.
KEY JOB ELEMENTS
Assess, consult, and conduct eye examinations using observation, determining visual perception, acuity, coordination, and focus. Tests may include subjective refractions, retinoscopy, lensometry, slit lamp examination, visual fields, pupil and mobility testing and tear function testing. Complete all required documentation in a timely manner.
Provide input, support, and guidance to optical services. This would include selection of frames, contracts with labs, coordination of services with an optician, inventory, pricing and sales, specialty product lines and more.
Prescribe appropriate devices including low vision aides and eyeglasses.
Develop protocols and procedures for tele-medicine. Conduct tele-medicine examinations as needed and ensure appropriate billing procedures.
Support ongoing rehab research projects and future research projects. Assist in the identification of future research partners.
Review intake including pre-evaluation questions, medications current vision aide if applicable and any other pertinent data. Both conduct and interpret testing including specialty imaging to establish diagnosis and co-manage eye conditions. Assess the individual patient for appropriateness of procedures identifying complex cases requiring increased interventions.
Document exam findings and recommendations, compose letters to primary medical provider and or referral source. Meet the documentation requirements for various insurance plans. Assist with billing of services as needed. Refers patients to external and/or internal resources as needed.
Monitor collection of co-pays. Review aging reports provided by CABVI’s billing company.
Provide oversite and coordination of repairs and warranties of diagnostic equipment in Syracuse and Utica.
Represent the Vision Health and Wellness Center by performing community and professional outreach, education and information of vision loss related topics through presentations, events and workshops. Assist in the marketing and promotion of agency programs and services.
Assist in the supervision of contracted optician in provision of services. Manage optical dispensary. Work with the Director of Rehab Clinical Services to determine inventory, stock levels and promotion events associated with the dispensing of eyeglasses.
Review all eye reports sent to CABVI.
Primary care provider for those experiencing vison loss due to concussions, traumatic brain injury and muscle imbalance.
Establish and maintain referral relationships with ophthalmologists, optometrists, physician, and other medical personnel, as well as NYSCB, ACCESS-VR, school contract personnel and other professional organizations.
Maintain awareness of current academic material and research.
In conjunction with the Director of Rehab Clinical Service and the Senior VP of Rehabilitation expand service to meet consumer needs. Actively involved in the development, revision and evaluation of vision and optical services to ensure high quality standards and quality care. Work to ensure annual department goals are met and the budget is maintained.
Educate patients regarding conditions which may require further intervention including diabetes, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and binocular vision problems.
Provide clinical oversight to CABVI’s Occupational Therapist in provision of vision therapy. Conduct supplemental testing to confirm diagnosis and approve therapy plan. Work closely to ensure patient progress.
Keep current with vision industry’s best practices, research, and state/federal licensing.
Participate in rehab department meetings, training and center activities, and support agency events whenever possible.
Adapt to change and complete other duties as assigned.
Consistently achieves annual performance objectives.
Communication Skills
Must have ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from staff, consumers, professionals, and the general public. Must be able to write effective clinical notes, reports and correspondence. Must have ability to provide visual cues according to consumer’s visual status. Must have excellent listening skills and the ability to develop confidence and self-esteem
Computer/Technical Skills
Must be comfortable using laptop computer and iPad. Must have skills to operate optometric equipment including but not limited to retinal camera, phoropter, ophthalmoscope, keratometer, lensometer, retinoscope, visual field machine, Snellen charts and more. Must be willing to learn new technology.
REASONING ABILITY
Must have ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Must be able to recognize consumer’s status in relationship to their level of acceptance and respond accordingly. Must maintain strict adherence to CABVI’s mission statement and core values.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Frequently required to talk, hear, stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, stoop and kneel. Occasionally must lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the key job elements.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Center based services with occasional travel to other locations based on work demands.
EDUCATION And/or EXPERIENCE
Must possess a Doctor of Optometry degree with a current active license issued by the NY State Board of Optometry. Interested in pursuing professional development opportunities in the fields of low vision and optometry.
Provide clinical services to clinic patients, including vision examinations and eye health screenings, prescriptions of lens and frames, and referrals to internal and external resources.
General Requirements
Requires a high level of professionalism, confidentiality, communication, teamwork, creativity, problem solving, planning and organizational skills. Must have empathy, sensitivity, flexibility, and ability to get along well with a wide variety of personalities. Must be goal oriented and have the ability to manage multiple tasks. Requires excellent diagnostic skills, clear understanding of agency services and overall knowledge of community resources.
KEY JOB ELEMENTS
Assess, consult, and conduct eye examinations using observation, determining visual perception, acuity, coordination, and focus. Tests may include subjective refractions, retinoscopy, lensometry, slit lamp examination, visual fields, pupil and mobility testing and tear function testing. Complete all required documentation in a timely manner.
Provide input, support, and guidance to optical services. This would include selection of frames, contracts with labs, coordination of services with an optician, inventory, pricing and sales, specialty product lines and more.
Prescribe appropriate devices including low vision aides and eyeglasses.
Develop protocols and procedures for tele-medicine. Conduct tele-medicine examinations as needed and ensure appropriate billing procedures.
Support ongoing rehab research projects and future research projects. Assist in the identification of future research partners.
Review intake including pre-evaluation questions, medications current vision aide if applicable and any other pertinent data. Both conduct and interpret testing including specialty imaging to establish diagnosis and co-manage eye conditions. Assess the individual patient for appropriateness of procedures identifying complex cases requiring increased interventions.
Document exam findings and recommendations, compose letters to primary medical provider and or referral source. Meet the documentation requirements for various insurance plans. Assist with billing of services as needed. Refers patients to external and/or internal resources as needed.
Monitor collection of co-pays. Review aging reports provided by CABVI’s billing company.
Provide oversite and coordination of repairs and warranties of diagnostic equipment in Syracuse and Utica.
Represent the Vision Health and Wellness Center by performing community and professional outreach, education and information of vision loss related topics through presentations, events and workshops. Assist in the marketing and promotion of agency programs and services.
Assist in the supervision of contracted optician in provision of services. Manage optical dispensary. Work with the Director of Rehab Clinical Services to determine inventory, stock levels and promotion events associated with the dispensing of eyeglasses.
Review all eye reports sent to CABVI.
Primary care provider for those experiencing vison loss due to concussions, traumatic brain injury and muscle imbalance.
Establish and maintain referral relationships with ophthalmologists, optometrists, physician, and other medical personnel, as well as NYSCB, ACCESS-VR, school contract personnel and other professional organizations.
Maintain awareness of current academic material and research.
In conjunction with the Director of Rehab Clinical Service and the Senior VP of Rehabilitation expand service to meet consumer needs. Actively involved in the development, revision and evaluation of vision and optical services to ensure high quality standards and quality care. Work to ensure annual department goals are met and the budget is maintained.
Educate patients regarding conditions which may require further intervention including diabetes, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and binocular vision problems.
Provide clinical oversight to CABVI’s Occupational Therapist in provision of vision therapy. Conduct supplemental testing to confirm diagnosis and approve therapy plan. Work closely to ensure patient progress.
Keep current with vision industry’s best practices, research, and state/federal licensing.
Participate in rehab department meetings, training and center activities, and support agency events whenever possible.
Adapt to change and complete other duties as assigned.
Consistently achieves annual performance objectives.
Communication Skills
Must have ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from staff, consumers, professionals, and the general public. Must be able to write effective clinical notes, reports and correspondence. Must have ability to provide visual cues according to consumer’s visual status. Must have excellent listening skills and the ability to develop confidence and self-esteem
Computer/Technical Skills
Must be comfortable using laptop computer and iPad. Must have skills to operate optometric equipment including but not limited to retinal camera, phoropter, ophthalmoscope, keratometer, lensometer, retinoscope, visual field machine, Snellen charts and more. Must be willing to learn new technology.
REASONING ABILITY
Must have ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Must be able to recognize consumer’s status in relationship to their level of acceptance and respond accordingly. Must maintain strict adherence to CABVI’s mission statement and core values.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Frequently required to talk, hear, stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, stoop and kneel. Occasionally must lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the key job elements.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Center based services with occasional travel to other locations based on work demands.
EDUCATION And/or EXPERIENCE
Must possess a Doctor of Optometry degree with a current active license issued by the NY State Board of Optometry. Interested in pursuing professional development opportunities in the fields of low vision and optometry.