My experience abroad as an Orthoptist during COVID-19

In February 2020, I left my job as a full-time orthoptist at Westmead Hospital Eye Clinic to embark on an experience of a lifetime: to temporarily work in Oxford in the United Kingdom and travel Europe with my fiancé.

Little did I know, that one month later, the COVID-19 pandemic would hit.

In the very same week, I was due to start working, the UK Government announced a sudden, strict national lockdown. Oxford Eye Hospital was required to close, with all clinical appointments cancelled across the various eye specialties, except for the Emergency Eye Department.

The vast majority of the team at the eye clinic were deployed to assist in the COVID-19 wards. It was a daunting period, but restrictions eased and I was finally able to start working a few months later.

The Orthoptic team was beyond welcoming and supportive. I was amazed by how big the entire eye clinic was – about three times the size of the eye clinic at Westmead Hospital where I previously worked, which is quite a large clinic in itself!

It was interesting to observe the differences in orthoptic practice between Australia and the UK.

The main difference was their primary role to run "orthoptist-only" clinics, where they manage paediatric and adult strabismus. They also work in conjunction with strabismus/paediatric ophthalmologists for patients who require surgical treatment or further ophthalmic testing.

I think it is beneficial that Australian orthoptists are trained in ophthalmic diagnostics, as I think this helps build a holistic understanding of ophthalmic pathologies and provides an additional scope of practice.

They have a combined clinic with the Optometry department that perform dilated refractions. This is different from Australia, where ophthalmologists perform dilated refractions on children.

Orthoptists in the UK do not perform any standard ophthalmic imaging or visual field testing, unlike the orthoptists in Australia. Instead, this is performed by ophthalmic imaging technicians and optometrists.

I love the autonomy that orthoptists have here in the UK. They are highly regarded in the eye clinic for being ocular motility specialists. However, I think it is beneficial that Australian orthoptists are trained in ophthalmic diagnostics, as I think this helps build a holistic understanding of ophthalmic pathologies and provides an additional scope of practice. 

Speaking to my orthoptist colleagues here, I found that they were all very satisfied with their careers and are thankful for the opportunities that the Oxford Eye Hospital provides to upskill. For instance, one orthoptist received training to do intravitreal injections (which is not currently legal in Australia for orthoptists to perform) and another orthoptist is undertaking a Masters in Glaucoma to work in glaucoma clinics alongside ophthalmologists.

For those considering life in the UK, rest assured that your registration as a UTS-trained orthoptist will be recognised by the Health & Care Professions Council – the governing body that orthoptists must be registered to legally work in the National Health Service (NHS).

While the year didn’t quite go to plan, I don’t regret my decision – it gave me a new perspective on life and my career, and has inspired me to find work in my area of interest, Paediatric Orthoptics, when I return to Sydney.

Learn more about studying Orthoptics at the Graduate School of Health