Career as Orthoptist

 Career as an Orthoptist

The Good Universities Guide states that an Orthoptist detects, diagnoses and treat disorders of the eye and associated eye movement and vision problems. Orthoptists may specialise in: 

• Ophthalmic eye care, which involves treatment of general eye diseases such as glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic eye disease and age-related macular degeneration.
• Neuro-ophthalmology, which involves the treatment of neurologically based eye disorders caused by stroke and head injury.
• Eye movement disorders and paediatric eye care, which involves the treatment of conditions such as strabismus, amblyopia and double vision.
• Vision rehabilitation, which involves maximising remaining sight in people with low vision using rehabilitation strategies and magnification aids.

Orthoptists are employed in a wide range of settings, including private practices, specialist eye clinics, public hospitals (including children’s hospitals), vision impairment agencies and research centres.                                                                                                

 Good Universities Guide – Orthoptist

La Trobe University offers the Bachelor of Orthoptics (Honours), a 4-year degree with a strong focus on clinical experience which commences in the first year of study. Students also have the opportunity to complete a placement beyond Melbourne in their final year with one of the university’s partner clinics in regional Victoria, interstate or overseas.