Orthoptists vs. Optometrists

The NHS careers websites will give you a far more comprehensive comparison of the two careers, although they do of course bear some close relations. Optometrists do what you will observe on the high street, but there are opportunities for NHS work as well. In the country's eye hospitals, there is increasing evidence of optometrists working in higher support roles to medical staff as part of shared care services. There are some working in A&E departments and following up glaucoma patients in hospital outpatient clinics. That isn't to say that these roles are (currently) very widespread.

Orthoptists' work tends to centre around patients with difficulties using both eyes together, and will come with a large element of paediatric work, examining children with ocular motility problems (squints etc.). They are largely NHS-based, and you would likely find yourself having an input with neurology and plastics cases in hospital scenarios, particularly with those suffering trauma to an eye.

Orthoptics is a smaller profession than optometry, reflected in only several universities offering the course. I don't believe it is very oversubscribed, but the NHS basis would mean a willingness to live where a job is available; this is far less of an issue should you wish to be a high street optometrist. In NHS scenarios, I believe the salaries and career prospects are reasonably similar, although it depends of course if you are referring to the latter in a clinical or managerial sense.

Both are very different to studying medicine, however, and you will (naturally!) need that large interest in ocular health over pursuing a role that is less "localised", such as physiotherapy.

Thank you, honestly for such a big reply! There doesnt seem to be many jobs available for orthoptics

Posted from TSR Mobile

You're welcome.

There won't be very many NHS orthoptics jobs at any given time due to the small size of the profession. Note that this does not necessarily imply uber-competitiveness when you consider the very limited numbers of graduates annually (only Liverpool, Sheffield and Glasgow Caledonian offer this course).

A friend of mine is doing orthoptics and said that orthoptists are more likely to be found working in eye hospitals when they graduate, as opposed to opticians working on the high-street/ in the community?

Dunno how correct this is, though- I think he's hoping to work somewhere like Moorfields with his orthoptics degree.