Orthoptics

Orthoptics is an associated health profession in Ophthalmology. An orthoptist is a trained professional who diagnoses and treats various eye deficiencies that affect the movement of the eyes. This can include strabismus (misalignment of the eyes), nystagmus and amblyopia (lazy eye), to name a few. These can be caused by weakness in the muscles surrounding the eye or in defects or damage to the nerves that communicate between the eyes and the brain.

An orthoptist will provide treatment plans to correct these conditions through patching, eye exercises, and/or prisms. They are trained in dealing with the short attention spans of young children to determine the cause of the defect and provide parents with the tools necessary to help improve their child’s visual development.

With adult patients, double vision can be caused by certain ocular diseases, systemic diseases, trauma, or refractive errors. The orthoptist will work together with our doctors to determine the root cause and help the patient manage their condition.

Saskatoon Eye Surgeons is proud to have an Orthoptist on our team!