Optometrist - Blind Rehabilitation

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Tacoma (WA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The Low Vision Optometrist at the American Lake Blind Rehabilitation Center provides routine and specialized eye care to Veterans as part of an interdisciplinary team, closely collaborating with Low Vision Therapists.

Candidates must hold a Doctor of Optometry from VA-approved schools, maintain a full, unrestricted license to practice optometry, and have residency training or two years of licensed clinical optometric practice; a Low Vision Residency is highly preferred.

Qualifications

• OD degree from VA-approved schools/colleges.
• Current, full, unrestricted optometry license in US/territory.
• Residency training or two years of licensed clinical optometric practice.

Responsibilities

• Provide routine and specialized eye care to Veterans.
• Collaborate with Low Vision Therapists and interdisciplinary care teams.
• Support veteran-centered care at the American Lake Blind Rehabilitation Center.

Education

Doctor of Optometry

Low Vision Residency training

Interdisciplinary teamwork

Job description

The Low Vision Optometrist is a licensed independent practitioner responsible for providing routine and specialized eye care to Veterans of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Low Vision Optometrist will be part of an interdisciplinary team delivering high quality Veteran-centered care at the American Lake Blind Rehabilitation Center and work especially closely with Low Vision Therapists. Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Optometrist Basic Requirements

• Degree of Doctor of Optometry resulting from a course of education in optometry. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools or colleges approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are United States and Canadian schools or colleges of optometry listed as accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE), in the list published for the year in which the course of study was completed.~AND~
• Optometrists must have successfully completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of VA in an accredited post-graduate training program, or have comparable experience, as described below:
  • Approved residencies are those with accredited or within pre-accredited status by the ACOE, in the list published for the year the residency was completed.~OR~
  • Two years of licensed clinical optometric practice in the United States consisting of active involvement in the management of medically complex patients.~AND~
• Optometrists must possess a current, full and unrestricted license to practice optometry, and maintain a current registration in a state, territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia that requires successful passage of all parts of National Board of Examiners in Optometry intended for basic licensure. The Optometrist must maintain current registration in the state of licensure if this is a requirement for continuing active, current licensure.

Preferred Experience:

• The preferred candidate has experience working with Blind Rehabilitation staff and on an interdisciplinary team.
• The highly preferred candidate has completed a Low Vision Residency training.

Reference:

For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.