Optician at Akicita Federal, LLC – Martinsburg, West Virginia
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About This Position
The Optician provides onsite dispensing services for eligible Veteran beneficiaries. This role involves measuring, fitting, and adjusting eyewear based on medically necessary prescriptions provided by VA Optometry or Ophthalmology clinics. The Optician is responsible for ensuring high-quality service and professional interaction with patients and staff while adhering to all federal and state regulations.
Location: Martinsburg VA Medical Center (Martinsburg, WV) and various Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) including Cumberland, MD; Hagerstown, MD; Winchester, VA; Fort Detrick, MD; Petersburg, WV; Franklin, WV; and Harrisonburg, VA.
Work Schedule: Standard hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM.
Key Responsibilities
- Patient Consultation: Greet beneficiaries, determine their lifestyle needs for eyewear, and assist with frame selection and recommendations.
- Fitting & Measurement: Perform precise measurements for pupillary distances (PD), segment heights, and base curves.
- Prescription Verification: Verify eyeglass prescription specifications against the orders provided by VA clinical staff.
- Maintenance & Repair: Perform minor repairs and adjustments, such as replacing screws and nose pads or repairing broken frames.
- Documentation: Accurately document all patient care activities in the VA’s Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) or Electronic Health Record (EHR).
- Equipment Management: Operate and maintain essential tools, including lensometers, lens clocks, frame warmers, and pupilometers.
- Quality Assurance: Inspect received eyeglasses to ensure they meet American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and FDA requirements.
Qualifications & Requirements
- Licensure & Certification: * Must maintain a full and unrestricted license in the state of practice if that state requires licensure.
- In states without licensure, American Board of Opticianry (ABO) certification is required.
- Technical Proficiency: Ability to fluently speak, understand, read, and write English.
- Security Clearance: Must successfully complete a VA background investigation (Low Risk) and receive a favorable National Criminal History Check (NCHC).
- Health & Safety:
- Provide proof of required immunizations, including a Hepatitis B vaccination series or surface antigen test results.
- Complete generic self-study blood-borne pathogen training.
Professional Standards
- Conflict of Interest: Opticians (and their employers) may not hold a current VA Eyeglasses Manufacturing contract while providing these services to ensure unbiased frame selection for Veterans.
- Retail Restrictions: Contracted Opticians are prohibited from offering retail "upgrades" for prescriptions within VA clinics.
$45,000 - $45,000 a year