I’m Hannah and I’ve been a certified ophthalmic technician at CarlinVision for 2½ years. As technicians, we all have different jobs which are done on different days. One day is never exactly the same as the next.
On certain days I “work-up” patients. I bring them back from the front waiting area, and do tests such as checking vision, eye pressure, pupil reactions and peripheral field of vision to get them ready to see the doctor. On other days I operate the Epic which is a machine that checks patient’s glasses and does their refraction to see if their prescription has changed.
On other days I scribe, which entails going into the room while the doctor sees the patient and entering information in the patient’s chart as the doctor is doing the examination. This is so interesting because I get to hear the diagnosis and treatment of each patient and learn about the eyes just by typing it in the chart.
Some days I’m the “testing tech. We have a lot of advanced technology, so every day different technicians are “testing techs”. The testing tech’s job is to run all of the special advanced technology tests patients may need from each doctor that is working that day and answer patient phone calls. I do that on Wednesdays and it’s really nice because it keeps me up to date on all the technology.
I also work for our Optometrist, Dr. Thornhill. I assist in contact lens fittings which are really fun because I get to teach patients what we call “I&R” (insertion & removal). It’s so amazing to get a first time contact lens wearer, around the age of 12 or 13, excited about wearing contacts.
Dr. Richard Carlin really encourages our technicians to become certified after we have worked here for a year which is what I did to better myself and the practice. I get to do and learn so many things and have the great feeling that I am helping people every day. Being a technician is so much fun. I love it here at CarlinVision!