Q. Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do.

        

A. My name is Heathelyn Lima and I'm an ophthalmic technician. I grew up in PG County, MD and graduated from TESST College in 2014.  I went to school for medical assisting  and ended up in ophthalmology by going in for a personal appointment. I call it fate.  That was the start of my general ophthalmology career, I then transitioned to pediatric ophthalmology. I've learned and grew so much in this field that I ended up loving it.  I’m currently in pediatrics ophthalmology, a field most technicians avoid unfortunately.  I don't understand why because it's so fun! 

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Q. What was your formal introduction to technology and what about it did you find alluring?

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​A. Ophthalmology technology to me is extremely fascinating.  I fell in love with fluorescein angiographies, a test used to capture posterior images of the eyes of patients.  Fluorescein angiographies use a special dye and camera to look at blood flow in the retina and choroid, the two posterior layers of the eye.  I find these types of photos truly helpful when diagnosing patients and dictating the severity of certain afflictions like Vitreous Degeneration and diseases such as Diabetic Retinopathy.

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Q. Did you foresee a future where you would be incorporating various types of technology throughout your workday?  Which piece of technology do you find to be an integral piece of your workday and why?

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A. Of course!  Technology has been something that I've always saw growing exponentially! For example, the diabetic pump nowadays are app controlled  which I find mindblowing. The world advances with technology on a day to day basis, as do we.  So, incorporating all technology and using them in the field is a necessity to both staff and patients.

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Q. How are you using this aspect of STEAM to make your very own mark on the world?

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A. I’m currently in Pediatrics as mentioned before.  And this is a field that I highly enjoy because you instantly see the difference you make. 

In my field, we often deal with strabismus, an eye misalignment that commonly afflicts children.  Sometimes, a simple treatment of glasses will help straighten these child's eyes.  But sometimes, it takes another path which requires surgery.  I have been at my current practice for over four years and have seen kids at age 4 with crossed eyes receive alignment correction within 4 years. It’s amazing!   I’m helping make a difference in children's future and it's very rewarding! I love the little people!

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Q.  Regarding technology in your field, what would you like to see in the next ten years?

​A. In my field, ten years?!  Technology will be something incredible, I just know it. The current tech is beyond amazing... from being able to prevent detached retinas to being able to see blood flow and veins behind the eye... there's no telling where we are going in the ocular field... but I'm truly looking forward to it. 

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