Orthoptics, the small allied health profession making a big impact to people’s lives: Pathways, prospects and practice
Join Finn Burgum to learn more about the day-to-day life of an orthoptist, as well as career development pathways and routes into qualification.
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Date
13 May 2026 -
Time
04:00 PM -
Duration
1 hour(s) -
Venue
Zoom -
Contact
Orthoptists work closely with ophthalmologists and multidisciplinary teams in hospitals and community services. This webinar will provide a clear, practical overview of what orthoptists do and how the role differs from other eye-care professions. We will also discuss the option of working within the field of orthoptics as an orthoptic assistant - a massively rewarding career in itself, or one which can be used as a stepping stone into formal training as an orthoptist.
In addition, the session will explore why orthoptics is a career in demand. Driven by the NHS’s focus on expanding and strengthening allied health professional roles, there is a recognised shortage of orthoptists in several geographical areas across the UK, creating strong employment opportunities for new graduates. Finn Bergum will demonstrate the breadth of work available, including supporting an ageing population with complex visual and neurological needs, and working with children with additional needs who require long-term, specialist eye care. By the end of the webinar, attendees will have a good understanding of orthoptics as a high-impact, future-focused career option for anyone interested in health, science and patient-centred work.
Learning Objectives:
- Learn what orthoptics is and how it differs from other eye-care and allied health professions.
- Understand why orthoptics is a growing, in-demand career with strong employment prospects.
- Recognise the types of students who may be well suited to a career in orthoptics
- Learn about the available study pathways, the required entry criteria, and the steps involved in joining the profession.
Finn has been a practicing orthoptist for just over 10 years, and alongside her clinical work has a part-time, seconded role as Visibility Lead for The British and Irish Orthoptic Society. Having taken a non-conventional route into the profession, she is really passionate about raising the profile of orthoptics, a specialist allied health profession within eye care focused on the assessment and management of eye movement disorders, visual development, and binocular vision across the lifespan.
This session supports the following competency:
• Career Development Practice