Ophthalmic Assistant Certified

SSM Health; Fond du Lac (WI); On-site; USD 37,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

SSM Health in Wisconsin seeks an Ophthalmic Assistant to support eye examinations, diagnostic testing, in-office procedures, and patient education alongside ophthalmologists and optometrists.

Responsibilities include performing tests, assisting with surgeries, and acting as a scribe while maintaining patient safety and high-quality care. 32 hours weekly with day shifts; no nights or major holidays.

Qualifications

• High School diploma/GED or 10 years of work experience.
• One year health care experience.
• Ability to assist with eye exams, diagnostic testing, in-office procedures, and patient education.

Responsibilities

• Assists eye care providers in the exam and treatment of patients.
• Initiates documentation of the patient’s chief complaint, history of present illness, review of systems, and all pertinent ocular findings.
• Performs testing to include visual acuity measurement, color vision testing, keratometry, tonometry, and other ocular assessments as requested.
• Assists with dry eye procedures, surgical procedures, and laser treatments in the office.
• Acts as a scribe by documenting clinically relevant interaction and dialogue during the patient visit; provides patient education regarding surgery and treatments.
• Provides pre-surgical workups, measurements, and testing to inform physicians’ decisions.
• Participates in emergency patient workups for sight-threatening conditions.
• Maintains inventory of surgical instruments.
• Completes requests for prescription refills with full documentation in patient charts.
• Screens patients and responds to emergencies; collects pertinent information for the provider.
• Maintains safety and follows clinical protocols.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education

High School diploma/GED or 10 years of work experience

Job description

Job Highlights

Join a team where your work matters—every moment, every patient, every community. At SSM Health, you'll be empowered to grow, supported to thrive, and inspired to make a lasting impact.

It's more than a career, it's a calling

WI-Agnesian Health Plaza Bldg A

Worker Type

Regular

Job Highlights

Join a team where your work matters—every moment, every patient, every community. At SSM Health, you'll be empowered to grow, supported to thrive, and inspired to make a lasting impact. Join our ophthalmology team and help patients see and feel their best. As an Ophthalmic Assistant, you’ll support eye examinations, diagnostic testing, in-office procedures, and patient education alongside skilled ophthalmologists and optometrists. Build specialized eye-care expertise while making a meaningful difference in every patient’s experience.

Department: Optical

Schedule: 32 hours per week.

M, T, TH, F 7:30-4:30/5 pm

No nights, weekends or holidays

SSM Health – We bring out the incredible in you, every day.

Job Summary

Participates in the care and treatment of eye care patients utilizing and performing unique and complex skills distinctive to ophthalmology. Demonstrates accountability to patients, peers, and other health team members through positive customer relations and effective communication. Provides care for children and adult patients of all ages.

Job Responsibilities and Requirements

Primary Responsibilities

• Assists eye care providers in the exam and treatment of patients.
• Initiates documentation of the patient’s chief complaint, history of present illness, review of systems, and all pertinent ocular findings.
• Perform testing to include visual acuity measurement, color vision testing, lensometry, keratometry, testing pupil function, tonometry, automated perimetry, evaluation of EOMs (Extra-Ocular Muscle), confrontation visual field testing, low vision, dry eye testing, specialty contact demos, and other patient services as requested by the provider.
• Assists with dry eye procedures, surgical procedures, and laser treatments in the office, including lesion removals, oculoplastic procedures, corneal crosslinking, diode lasers and sutures.
• Acts as a scribe by documenting clinically relevant interaction and dialogue during the course of the patient visit. Provides advanced patient education regarding surgery and treatments under direction of eye care provider.
• Provides pre-surgical workups, measurements, and testing to inform the diagnostic decisions of the physicians.
• Participates in emergency patient workups for sight-threatening conditions (i.e. retinal detachment).
• Maintains inventory of surgical instruments in accordance with system and department standards.
• Completes requests for prescription refills as authorized by provider with full documentation in patient chart.
• Screens patients and calls for emergency/urgent situations; obtains pertinent information for provider.
• Works in a constant state of alertness and safe manner.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education

• High School diploma/GED or 10 years of work experience

Experience

• One year health care experience

Physical Requirements

• Constant standing and walking.
• Frequent use of hearing and speech to share information through oral communication.
• Frequent use of hearing to distinguish body sounds and/or hear alarms, malfunctioning machinery, etc.
• Frequent lifting/carrying and pushing/pulling objects weighing 0-25 lbs.
• Frequent reaching, gripping, and keyboard use/data entry.
• Frequent use of vision for distances near (20 inches or less) and far (20 feet or more) and to identify and distinguish colors.
• Occasional bending, stooping, crawling, kneeling, sitting, squatting and repetitive foot/leg and hand/arm movements.
• Occasional use of vision to judge distances and spatial relationships.
• Occasional lifting/carrying and pushing/pulling objects weighing 25-50 lbs.
• Occasional lifting/moving patients.Occasional use of smell to detect/recognize odors.
• Occasional driving.

Required Professional Licenses and/or Certifications

Resuscitation Certification Requirement: Basic Life Support Healthcare Provider (BLS HCP) required within 90 day of employment. Other resuscitation certifications may be required dependent on department.

State of Work Location: Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Wisconsin

• Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) - Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO)

Work Shift

Day Shift (United States of America)

Job Type

Employee

Department

6650010166 Eye Care MOB

Scheduled Weekly Hours

32

SSM Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. SSM Health provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Read our notice of non-discrimination