Orthoptics is an allied health profession, specializing in the evaluation and treatment of disorders of visual function, eye movements, eye alignment and binocular vision in children and adults. The orthoptist carries out a series of diagnostic tests and measurements on patients with visual function deficits, including amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus (misaligned eyes) and diplopia (double vision), and participates with the ophthalmologist in the design and implementation of a treatment plan. In some situations, the orthoptist carries out the treatment, and in others the patient is treated medically or surgically by the ophthalmologist, while the orthoptist is responsible for monitoring the patient’s condition and progress.
The role of the orthoptist demands intelligence, sound judgment, intellectual honesty, and the ability to relate well to patients of all ages, but particularly infants, children and the elderly. Because of the nature of many disorders of visual function, most of the orthoptist’s patients are young children. While most of these children are otherwise active and healthy, some have associated physical, mental, or emotional disabilities.
Orthoptics offers opportunities for dynamic, motivated individuals who want to exercise or develop leadership ability, public speaking, creativity, teaching skills, clinical research skills, and medical writing and publication, in addition to patient care. This profession may at times combine elements of social work, education, patient advocacy, medical legal politics, and psychology, in addition to science and medicine!
