Optometrist-Low Vision - Blind Rehabilitation Service

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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

Major Duties/Responsibilities for this position include but are not limited to:

• Provides routine and specialized eye care to Veterans of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Blind Rehabilitation Service.
• Works independently within well-defined limits based on the incumbent's professional license, experience, competence, ability, and judgment
• Provides 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 prosthetics items within scope of practice.
• Performs examination procedures necessary for general ocular examination.
• Document and manage procedures necessary for rehabilitative management of less common vision defects such as aphakia, pseudophakia, keratoconus, glaucoma, age related macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, diabetic retinopathy, aniseikonia, but not to include surgery.
• Performs procedures necessary for fitting and follow-up care of hard, gas permeable and soft contact lenses; to include 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 rational to the treatment of conditions or diseases of the eye or eyelid.
• Performs fluorescein angiographic photography and also 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: To be determined by supervisor, Chief of Blind Rehabilitation Service.

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:

• To qualify for appointment to this position, all applicants must possess the following:
  • Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.) in accordance with section 7402(c) to title 38, United States Code (U.S.C). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
  • Education. 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.
  • Licensure/Registration.
    • Licensure and Registration. 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.
  • Residency Training or Comparable Experience: 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 within 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.

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 for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are:

(1) United States and Canadian schools or colleges of Optometry listed as accredited by the Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association, in the list published for the year in which the course of study was completed.

(2) Schools (including foreign schools) accepted by the licensing body of a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia as qualifying for full or unrestricted licensure.

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Preferred Experience:

• The preferred candidate has experience working with Low Vision Therapists 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/.

Physical Requirements:
Light lifting, under 15 pounds
Light carrying, under 15 pounds
Use of fingers
Both hands required
Walking (2 hours)
Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously
Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jager 1 to 4
Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other
Depth perception
Ability to distinguish basic colors
Ability to distinguish shades of colors
Hearing (aid may be permitted)

Environmental Factors:
Working around machinery with moving parts
Working closely with others
Working alone