Orthoptists
Health Science > Therapeutic ServicesProjected Growth: Much faster than average
Projected Job Openings
Extensive Preparation Needed
Job Description
Your job is to Diagnose and treat visual system disorders such as binocular vision and eye movement impairments.
Common job titles of Orthoptists include:
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Experience and Education
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
78.95% said they needed a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate.
10.53% said they needed a Bachelor's Degree.
Tasks
Examine patients with problems related to ocular motility, binocular vision, amblyopia, or strabismus.
Develop nonsurgical treatment plans for patients with conditions such as strabismus, nystagmus, and other visual disorders.
Provide nonsurgical interventions, including corrective lenses, patches, drops, fusion exercises, or stereograms, to treat conditions such as strabismus, heterophoria, and convergence insufficiency.
Evaluate, diagnose, or treat disorders of the visual system with an emphasis on binocular vision or abnormal eye movements.
Provide instructions to patients or family members concerning diagnoses or treatment plans.
Perform diagnostic tests or measurements, such as motor testing, visual acuity testing, lensometry, retinoscopy, and color vision testing.
Develop or use special test and communication techniques to facilitate diagnosis and treatment of children or disabled patients.
Interpret clinical or diagnostic test results.
Provide training related to clinical methods or orthoptics to students, resident physicians, or other health professionals.
Prepare diagnostic or treatment reports for other medical practitioners or therapists.
Refer patients to ophthalmic surgeons or other physicians.
Assist ophthalmologists in diagnostic ophthalmic procedures, such as ultrasonography, fundus photography, and tonometry.
Collaborate with ophthalmologists, optometrists, or other specialists in the diagnosis, treatment, or management of conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts, and retinal diseases.
Perform vision screening of children in schools or community health centers.
Present or publish scientific papers.
Participate in clinical research projects.
Tools
Worth 4-dot tests
Visuscopes
Vision testing charts
Trial lenses
TNO stereo tests
Titmus stereo tests
Teller acuity cards
All ToolsSynoptophores
Snellen eye charts
Slide projectors
Sheridan Gardiner tests
Scanning laser ophthalmoscopes
Retinoscopes
Randot stereo tests
Portable biomicroscopes
Pinhole occluders
Personal computers
Pediatric trial frames
Overhead projectors
Optokinetic drums
Ophthalmic slit lamps
Ophthalmic prisms
Ophthalmic perimeters
Ophthalmic lensometers
Opaque occluders
Maddox rods
LogMAR charts
Lea symbols near vision cards
Laptop computers
Lang stereo tests
Indirect ophthalmoscopes
Hertel exophthalmometers
Handheld fixation lights
Fresnel prisms
Focimeters
Fixation targets
Direct ophthalmoscopes
Digital fundus cameras
Digital cameras
Deviometers
Contrast sensitivity charts
Combined vertical/horizontal prism bars
Color vision testing devices
Cardiff cards
Bagolini lenses
Animated fixation targets
Amblyoscopes
Adult trial frames
Technologies
Computer Aided Vision Therapy CAVT
Eye Tracking Exercises Enterprises Track with Letters
MAX Systems Max-Gold Medical Clinic Software
SeeRite Flash and Match
Therapeutic orthoptic software
Skills
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Instructing
Teaching others how to do something.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Persuasion
Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Abilities
Tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Cognitive Abilities › Idea Generation and Reasoning Abilities › Problem Sensitivity
Listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Cognitive Abilities › Verbal Abilities › Oral Comprehension
Communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Cognitive Abilities › Verbal Abilities › Oral Expression
Apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Cognitive Abilities › Idea Generation and Reasoning Abilities › Deductive Reasoning
Combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Cognitive Abilities › Idea Generation and Reasoning Abilities › Inductive Reasoning
Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Cognitive Abilities › Verbal Abilities › Written Comprehension
Communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Cognitive Abilities › Verbal Abilities › Written Expression