ophthalmic assistant

Work setting

• Optical retail store
• Optical dispensary

Tasks

• Administer eye drops, ointments and medications as directed by ophthalmologists
• Operate ophthalmic testing and measuring instruments
• Process claims such as health insurance or workers compensation
• Take patients' general medical and ophthalmic history
• Advise on use and care of contact lenses
• Cut and edge lenses and fit lenses into frames
• Perform specialized eye tests to measure and assess defective binocular vision or abnormal eye movement in patients
• Obtain specifications for eyeglasses and contact lenses from a prescription prepared by an ophthalmologist or optometrist
• Examine the results of the tests
• Analyze the client's eyeglasses or contact lenses and by measuring the client's eye curvature, pupillary distance and bridge width, using optical measuring devices

Area of specialization

• Obtain specifications for eyeglasses or contact lenses and fit clients with prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses

Personal suitability

• Efficient interpersonal skills

Employment terms options

• Day
• Weekend

Support for persons with disabilities

• Provides awareness training to employees to create a welcoming work environment for persons with disabilities
• Applies accessible and inclusive recruitment policies that accommodate persons with disabilities

Support for newcomers and refugees

• Supports newcomers and / or refugees with foreign credential recognition
• Offers mentorship programs that pair newcomers and / or refugees with experienced employees
• Provides diversity and cross-cultural trainings to create a welcoming work environment for newcomers and / or refugees
• Does not require Canadian work experience

Support for youths

• Offers on-the-job training tailored to youth
• Provides awareness training to employees to create a welcoming work environment for youth

Support for Veterans

• Provides awareness training to employees to create a welcoming work environment for Veterans

Support for Indigenous people

• Provides cultural competency training and / or awareness training to all employees to create a welcoming work environment for Indigenous workers

Support for mature workers

• Applies hiring policies that discourage age discrimination
• Provides staff with awareness training to create a welcoming work environment for mature workers
• Offers phased retirement options that allow mature workers to gradually reduce their workload (for example : flexible or reduced work hours, part time employment, project-based or seasonal work, etc.)
• Offers phased re-entry options for mature workers who are returning to work after retiring (for example : gradually increasing hours and responsibilities)

Supports for visible minorities

• Applies hiring policies that discourage discrimination against members of visible minorities (for example : anonymizing the hiring process, etc.)
• Provides diversity and cross-cultural training to create a welcoming work environment for members of visible minorities