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How to become an orthoptist
To become an orthoptist in the NHS, you must complete a pre-registration undergraduate degree programme approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
What is an an orthoptist?
Orthoptists care for people of all ages. They assess, diagnose, and treat eye disorders, including reduced vision, double vision, and childhood vision problems.
Starting your career as an orthoptist
Choosing subjects at school
To get on a course that could lead to a career as an orthoptist, useful subjects include:
- Human Biology
- Physics
- Maths
- English
Speak to your guidance teacher about subjects offered at your school.
Work placements and volunteering
You may find it helpful to get some healthcare experience by doing a work placement or volunteering. You’ll get training, increase your knowledge, and learn new skills. This could help you when applying to university, college or a new job with NHSScotland.
Education and training pathway
To become an orthoptist, you'll need an undergraduate degree. Most universities accept a wide range of qualifications, giving you the option of applying directly from school or going to college first.
You could do an HNC in Healthcare Practice or Applied Science at college.
Widening access
Widening participation supports adult learners who want to go to university. If you’re an adult with few or no qualifications, you could get into higher education through the Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAP). Many universities also provide access programmes to help you get the degree entry qualifications you need.
Pre-registration degree programme
In Scotland, Glasgow Caledonian University offers a 4-year pre-registration undergraduate programme in Orthoptics, approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
After graduation, you must register with the HCPC. You can then apply as a newly qualified orthoptist for vacancies in the NHS.
Get to know the role
As an orthoptist, you’ll investigate, diagnose and treat:
- vision problems, including amblyopia or lazy eye
- strabismus, a misalignment of the eyes or squint
- abnormalities of eye movement, which may cause double vision
You could prescribe:
- exercises to help eye control
- eye patches or drops to improve vision in children
- prisms for glasses to join double vision
You may also recommend eye surgery as part of a patient’s care plan.
Eye problems, such as double vision, may indicate other health problems in the body. You’ll play an important part in spotting these serious conditions and referring people to other healthcare professionals.
Tasks include:
- assessing people’s needs
- evaluating and understanding the emotions and behaviours of others
- planning and facilitating suitable interventions
- accepting referrals from optometrists and other allied health professionals
You'll need these skills:
- caring
- communicating
- problem-solving
- teamwork
- leadership
- collaborating
Orthoptists work with other healthcare professionals, including:
- ophthalmologists
- optometrists
- nurses
- healthcare support workers
You could work in:
- eye hospitals
- hospital eye departments
- health centres
- nurseries
- primary schools
- a person’s home
Behind the scenes with an orthoptist
Check out our 360 videos to learn more about the day in the life of an orthoptist.
You'll meet Catherine, a specialist orthoptist at NHS Fife. She is also a researcher and lecturer in Vision Sciences at Glasgow Caledonian University.
Find out how Catherine uses diagnostic tests to investigate and diagnose visual impairments.
Learning and development
During your career, you'll have to keep your skills and knowledge up to date with continuing professional development.
The British and Irish Orthoptic Society (BIOS) provides courses, conferences, and seminars where you can exchange ideas and update skills.
Career progression
With training and experience, you could become a specialist orthoptist. You could also progress to advanced or consultant orthoptist roles.
As head of an orthoptics service, you would be responsible both for a team of staff and for managing a budget.
There are also teaching and research opportunities.
Professional bodies
When you become a qualified orthoptist, you must register with the HCPC to work in the NHS. You can also join the British and Irish Orthoptic Society.
You can be an AHP
Discover the range of AHP careers you can choose in the NHS.
Allied health professions
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