ortoptistien

An orthoptist is a healthcare professional who specializes in diagnosing and treating disorders of eye movements and binocular vision, with a particular focus on children. The work covers conditions that affect how the eyes align and work together, such as strabismus, amblyopia, convergence disorders, diplopia, and nystagmus. Orthoptists perform assessments that measure visual acuity, ocular motility, alignment, suppression, and stereoacuity, and they help determine the appropriate treatment plan alongside ophthalmologists and optometrists. In some languages or regions, the profession is written as ortoptist or ortoptisten.

Education typically involves a university degree in orthoptics or a professional diploma, followed by supervised clinical training. In countries like the United Kingdom, orthoptists are registered professionals with a healthcare regulator and work within hospital or clinic teams led by ophthalmologists. Training emphasizes anatomy and physiology of the visual system, pediatric assessment, binocular function, and evidence-based management. Certification or registration requirements vary by country.

Clinical activities include performing tests such as cover testing, prism and cover tests, alignment assessments, pursuit and saccade testing, stereopsis evaluation, and monitoring visual development in children. Therapeutic options include orthoptic exercises, vision therapy, prism correction, and patching for amblyopia. Some orthoptists also provide pre- and post-operative assessments for strabismus surgery and support non-surgical management of binocular vision problems in adults; they may also participate in screening programs and education.

Orthoptists commonly work in ophthalmology departments, clinics, and vision centers, collaborating with ophthalmologists, optometrists, pediatricians, and educators. The profession aims to identify and treat binocular vision disorders early to support normal visual development and functional vision across the lifespan. Global terminology varies, with orthoptist, ortoptist, or orthoptisten among the common forms.