Temporary Optician/Optometric Assistant

General Statement of Responsibilities:

Assist patients in choosing eyewear as well as dispensing and adjusting glasses.  Transcribe prescriptions, order glasses/lenses from optical labs, and maintain display cases and frame selections. Assist optometrist with obtaining fundus photos, visual field and clinical data. Perform insertion and removal classes for contacts with patients.

Detailed Job Responsibilities:

• Serve and communicate effectively with students, staff and faculty from diverse backgrounds, communities, and cultures.
• Practice collegiality:  be helpful, respectful, approachable and team-oriented; build strong working relationships and a positive work environment. All communication, written or oral, with staff, doctors and patients should be respectful. Anticipate and address service needs and assist individuals with disabilities.
• Arrive to work on time. Be present when at work. Personal business should be conducted only during breaks and lunch hour and not during clinic hours. Do not leave the clinic area during your working hours. Leave on time for lunch and return on time.
• Perform measurements and tests that provide the optometrists with the information needed to arrive at a diagnosis and to prescribe treatment. Collect histories, lensometry, visual acuity, document contact lens prescription and take contact lens history. Make sure all data collected is accurate and recorded properly. Ask the doctors to double check if you are not sure about something. 
• Measure complete spectacle prescription on lensometer including lens material and prism..
• Assist patients in choosing eyewear, dispense glasses to patients and make adjustments. Troubleshoot and resolve the problems the patient may be experiencing with glasses.
• Take measurements for glasses; complete orders for eyewear; send orders to the lab and once the lab delivers the finished product -verify that the correct prescription is in the glasses before dispensing them to the patient. Return any defective products to the lab and inform the patient about the status of their glasses.
• Collect all payments for glasses before sending the order to the lab. 
• Give out lens prescriptions to outside optical shops when requested by the patient.
• Call patients when glasses are ready for pick-up and return patient phone calls in a timely manner.
• Meet with lens sales representatives to maintain frame reps inventory. Keep abreast of new lens materials and optical products.
• Monitor optical sales and suggest marketing ideas to promote optical sales. Help with the annual trunk show.
• Dust the frames and keep the optical area clean and well organized.
• Front desk duties--schedule appointments (collect patient contact information like phone number or email) arrive patients, print labels, collecting co-pays and payments for contact lenses and glasses and make follow-up appointments. Once the patient is scheduled in Point and Click enter patient demographics in Next-Gen a day prior to the visit. Reschedule patients when needed. Balance money at the end of the day. Be familiar with how to triage patients and schedule urgent and emergent concerns appropriately. Ask a doctor if you are not sure when the patient should be seen.
• Train patients on how to insert and remove contact lenses and educate them on how to care for their lenses. Explain risks associated with contact lens abuse.
• Document all contact lenses dispensed to patient including instructions given and when the patient is to return in Next-Gen.
• Train patients on how to disinfect contacts ( be aware of how different contact lens solutions work). Train patients how to do warm compresses with the Tranquil Eyes products.
• Perform fundus photography and visual fields on patients.
• Order contact lenses, place contacts in envelopes to go to the front desk and inform patients that their contacts are ready to be picked up.
• Recognize and respond to emergencies and unplanned situations.
• Disinfect and maintain equipment.
• Carry out optometrist standing orders according to policies, procedures, protocols and applicable regulatory guidelines.
• Observe established principles of confidentiality and compliance.
• Document all communications with the patients.
• Read and respond to emails and other communications in a timely manner.
• Attend and participate in Boynton Health Service staff meetings.
• Maintain familiarity and compliance with applicable OSHA, MERTKA, BBP, HIPAA guidelines.
• Maintain current knowledge/awareness of BHS service policies and procedures.
• Assist Eye Clinic director with tasks as assigned. Keep the director involved with all purchases and going ons in the optical.
• Do not accept gifts from vendors, labs or product representatives
• Promote a safe, equitable, and respectful environment in which concerns can be addressed effectively.
• Other duties as assigned.