Optometrist (Low Vision)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Augusta (GA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Federal pension

CME reimbursement

Malpractice protection

Job summary

Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center seeks a highly skilled Blind Rehabilitation Optometrist to join its team and serve veterans and their families.

The position requires Doctor of Optometry with residency or equivalent experience, U.S. citizenship, and an unrestricted license to practice optometry. The VA emphasizes comprehensive eye care and interdisciplinary collaboration for rehabilitation patients.

Qualifications

• Must meet basic VA requirements as stated in the job announcement.
• U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen status per VA policy.
• Must hold a current, unrestricted optometry license in the United States or District of Columbia.

Responsibilities

• Provide routine and specialized eye care to Veterans served by the VA.
• Conduct comprehensive eye exams, diagnose, plan, and manage eye care and low-vision needs.
• Fit and follow up on contact lenses and manage ocular conditions including glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration.

Skills

English proficiency

Attention to detail

Education

Doctor of Optometry

Residency training

Job description

Summary

The Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center is looking for a highly skilled Blind Rehabilitation Optometrist to join their team and serve veterans and their families.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement. Applicants pending the completion of training or license requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Currently employed physician(s) in VA who met the requirements for appointment under the previous qualification standard at the time of their initial appointment are deemed to have met the basic requirements of the occupation.

Basic Requirements

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• 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
• 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 the 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
• Residency Training: 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: (1) Approved residencies are those with accredited or pre-accredited status by the ACOE in the list published for the year the residency was completed
• OR (2) Two years of licensed clinical optometric practice in the United States consisting of active involvement in the management of medically complex patients
• NOTE: The Approving Official may approve under unusual circumstances a waiver of residency or comparable experience
• Proficiency in spoken and written English
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech and manual dexterity. The position requires potentially long periods of continued sitting, telephone and computer usage, walking, standing, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring equipment or objects may be required.

Duties

• Provides routine and specialized eye care to Veterans of the Department of Veterans Affairs – Blind Rehabilitation Service/Surgery Service
• Works independently within well-defined limits based on the incumbent’s professional license, experience, competence, ability, and judgment, providing both inpatient and outpatient Veteran eye care assessments that include comprehensive eye examinations, diagnosis, planning, and eye care as well as consultation, recommendation of low vision aids and issuance of prosthetic items within scope of practice
• Performs examination procedures necessary for general ocular examination
• Documents and manages procedures necessary for rehabilitative management of less common vision defects such as aphakia, pseudophakia, keratoconus, glaucoma, age related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, diabetic retinopathy, and aniseikonia (but not to include surgery)
• Performs procedures necessary for fitting and follow‑up care of hard‐gas permeable and soft contact lenses, including the teaching of insertion, removal and care of hard/soft contact lenses
• Performs examination procedures necessary for: 1) general ocular exams, 2) diagnosis, management and treatment of conditions of the visual system – including performance of primary eye care procedures logical to the treatment of conditions or diseases of the eye or eyelid
• Performs fluorescein angiographic photography, A and B scan ultrasound and ocular biometry
• Interpretation of testing and specialty imaging to establish diagnosis and assist in management of vision conditions
• The incumbent will be part of the interdisciplinary team attending interdisciplinary team meetings and discharge meetings to provide insight on Veterans
• Work Schedule: Work schedule subject to change based on the needs of the service.

Benefits

• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases
• Paid Time Off: 50–55 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year and possible 5 day paid absence for CME)
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
• Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long‑term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
• Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US state or territory
• CME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement (must be full‑time with board certification)
• Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided
• Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting