Optical/Contact Lens Training Specialist

GRAYSTONE OPHTHALMOLOGY ASSOCIATES PA•Hickory, NC

9d•Onsite

About The Position

This individual is responsible for training new optical/contact lens hires as well as working in the optical department as needed. The role requires excellent written and oral communication, exceptional judgment and people skills, and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously. The ideal candidate is personable, empathetic to patient and staff needs, organized with attention to detail, a team player, computer literate, and willing to travel to other Graystone Eye locations.

Requirements

High school diploma required
ABO or NCLE certification or higher is required within 12 months of accepted position.
Minimum of five years’ experience in optical or contact lens.
Working knowledge of all aspects regarding opticianry.
Proven ability to excel at patient care, including troubleshooting visual acuity in eyewear, and laboratory work.
Demonstrated skills in training professional staff.
Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos.
Ability to write simple correspondence.
Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other employees of the organization.
Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units or measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
Ability to compute rate, ration, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written and oral instructions.
Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.
Regularly required to stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and speak or hear.
Must regularly sit and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
Occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include the ability to adjust focus.

Nice To Haves

post secondary degree preferred

Responsibilities

Assists in training staff under supervision of the Optical Director and Optical Coordinator.
Participates in written evaluations of optical employees, as directed.
Performs 30 day and 90 day reviews of optical skills for new employees.
Assists in training and mentoring new and minimally experienced employees.
Develops and maintains a personalized training program for optical staff, under supervision of Optical Director and Optical Coordinator, based on deficiencies revealed by skill evaluations.
Monitors technician efficiencies during training to ensure trainees are able to independently meet national benchmarks for appropriate exams.
Remain current on credit hours for ABO or higher certifications.
Maintain OSHA and HIPAA compliance.
Demonstrate strong knowledge of major contact lens manufacturers and product lines.
Understand differences in lens materials and designs, including: Daily wear and extended wear soft lenses, Gas permeable (RGP) materials.
Identify and differentiate lens modalities: Spherical lenses, Toric lenses, Multifocal lenses, Multifocal toric lenses, Monovision designs.
Fit and evaluate soft contact lenses: Spherical lenses, Toric lenses, Multifocal lenses, Multifocal toric lenses.
Assess lens movement, centration, rotation, and comfort and make appropriate adjustments based on over-refraction and fit assessment.
Fit and adjust RGP lenses: Spherical RGP lenses, Toric RGP lenses, Multifocal RGP lenses, Keratoconus designs, Post-corneal graft fits.
Evaluate fluorescein patterns and corneal alignment and modify base curve, diameter, and power as needed.
Perform diagnostic testing and instrumentation: Corneal topography, Pentacam imaging (corneal tomography), Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) of the anterior segment.
Use diagnostic data to guide lens selection and fit adjustments.
Train patients on proper insertion and removal of soft and RGP contact lenses, lens hygiene, cleaning, and storage systems, and safe handling techniques and compliance education.
Provide troubleshooting support for lens discomfort and wear issues.
Enter, process, and track contact lens orders accurately.
Receive and verify incoming shipments.
Dispense lenses according to provider prescriptions and clinic protocols.
Maintain accurate inventory records and reorder appropriately.
Ensure insurance or billing requirements are followed when applicable.
Recognize fitting complications and recommend appropriate adjustments.
Identify poor lens fit, decentration, excessive movement, or corneal staining.
Communicate findings effectively with supervising provider.
Recommend alternative lens designs when needed.
Provides back-up support to other technicians, including returning patient phone calls and assisting on the optical sales floor.
Performs other tasks as required.
Addresses patient questions, concerns, and complaints with the goal of attaining resolution for the patient. Includes the Optical Director when necessary.
Determines client's current lens prescription, when necessary, using a lensometer or lens analyzer and the client's eyeglasses.
Recommends specific lenses, lens coatings, and frames to suit needs.
Assists clients in selecting frames according to style and color, coordinating frames with facial and eye measurements and optical prescription.
Measures client's bridge and eye size, temple length, vertex distance, pupillary distance, and optical centers of eyes.
Prepares work orders and instructions for grinding lenses and fabricating eyeglasses.
Verifies finished lenses are ground to specification.
Heats, shapes, or bends frames to adjust eyeglasses to fit the client.
Instructs clients in adapting to, wearing, and caring for eyeglasses.
Evaluates and does preliminary assessments of problems with patient's eyeglasses.
Sells optical goods such as plano sunglasses, magnifiers, and low vision aids.
Repairs damaged frames as well as screws, nose pads and temple pins.
Performs hinge repairs and holders.
Computes the amount of sale including filing different types of insurance claims.
Knowledge of coding and requirements for specific codes and modifiers.
Understanding of the documentation requirements for filing various vision insurances.
Consistently accurate in coding patient’s orders and insurance claims.
Troubleshoots instrument repairs as necessary.
Performs calibrations according to manufacturer and/or Graystone requirements.
Immediately requests equipment repairs and maintenance, as needed.