Orthoptic Department

Orthoptists are specialist members of the Eye Care team.

We are known as Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) because we work alongside other medical staff to provide a broad range of care.

Our role is primarily to diagnose and treat eye misalignment problems called strabismus.

We are trained to assess binocular vision and visual development problems so we dedicate a large amount of time to testing children in order to ensure that they achieve the best visual outcome.

Orthoptists work primarily in hospital outpatient departments but we also undertake visual screening in state, public and specialist schools as well as monitoring patients in some community health centres. Orthoptists will visit some hospital wards to assess patients there.

As well as looking after children, orthoptists manage visual problems in adults including double vision (diplopia).

Diplopia, blurred vision, abnormal eye movements or having a problem performing normal visual tasks may necessitate a referral to us.

These sort of problems can arise from neurological conditions, an endocrine problem, having suffered a stroke or if you are a patient that has suffered trauma to the eye.