Jacinta Walz

I completed a Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours) in vision science and mathematics, and during my second and third years studying, I undertook two research internships. I also worked as a research assistant for eight months within the Optometry and Vision Science field. My work there looked at traumatic brain injury (TBI, such as concussions and more serious brain injuries) and the consequences that these injuries have on visual processing, eye movements, and particularly visual attention which is how your brain prioritises all the visual information it is processing according to what’s most important. This work was the precursor to my Honours year and thesis which delved further into visual attention, how we allocate attention to different pieces of visual information, and how this is affected by TBI. I met the Head of Discipline in Orthoptics during my first year and over the course of my study came to realise that orthoptics offered the best combination of the areas that I’m interested in with long-term, patient-focused care and therapeutics.

I am passionate about so many different things. Orthoptics piqued my interest because it combined some of those passions: vision, neurology, service, and patient-focused relationships. I’m passionate about learning and research which challenge me to think laterally, critically, and creatively to come up with unique solutions to unexplored questions. I’m passionate about serving the people I encounter, aiding and supporting them in whatever way I can. More recently, I’ve become passionate about low vision and blindness accessibility. There are so many obstacles that the low vision community in terms of access to resources, security, and safety because the way our society is structured relies heavily on visual information. If there is anything that I can do to remove those obstacles, or to make navigating them easier, I would like to do it. 

I was studying vision science in my undergraduate degree with a view to do optometry. I found as I was making my way through the clinical subjects that there was something missing. The field seemed quite commercial and lacked the kind of long-term care and patient relationships that I was looking for. At a Careers Panel for the vision science student, the Head of Discipline in Orthoptics at UTS came and spoke to us about the field. I’d never even heard the word orthoptics before, let alone know what orthoptics is, but it intrigued me, so I started doing some research. I found that orthoptics offered the more intentional therapeutic relationship I was after, in the context of the vision field I loved, and in combination with more of the neurology which had excited me in my studies so far. In short, Orthoptics offered the opportunity for in-depth, long-term patient relationships in an area I am deeply interested in, and passionate about.

There are only two universities in Australia that offer Orthoptics as a program, and only UTS offered a Master of Orthoptics, rather than another bachelors degree. I already lived in Sydney, so it was a bit of a no-brainer for me.

This last semester we’ve been learning about neurological ocular disorders, which I have been loving. We've been looking at traumatic brain injuries, strokes, and degenerative neurological conditions (like Parkinson’s disease) and the way they affect vision, and particularly eye movements. Because a very large proportion of the brain is devoted to processing visual information, visual symptoms are very common in neurological conditions and so learning about how all the different signs and symptoms interplay with the systemic symptoms that come with different types of strokes, for example, has been challenging but exciting. I’m looking forward to using this knowledge during placement and seeing patients clinically.

The most rewarding aspect of the course for me is being on placement and watching all the theory and understanding I’ve gained over the last 18 months being used in practice. Having worked towards this for so long, including my undergraduate degree, being able to tangibly live out the skills and knowledge is incredibly gratifying, and I can honestly say that I love what I do.

The program is very intensive and there’s a lot of work involved. Honestly, it’s no easy feat and finding the right balance is definitely a dynamic learning process as the workload fluctuates throughout the semester but thanks to my support network, I have a lot of accountability for resting and making time for my wellbeing. I’ve made it my mission to come out the end of this degree, not only qualified, but also a whole person, so I have had to make sure I’m taking care of myself in all facets of my life, not just my career. Part of that, for me, has meant submitting assignments a bit early when possible (e.g., Saturday night instead of Sunday night) to preserve some time for my family and friends, or for alone time to exercise, read a good book, play the piano, or listen to some music. Keeping that self-care time has been incredibly important for my mental health.

I have been studying under a hybrid online/in-person mode of learning throughout this degree and my experiences have been mostly positive. Last year, through the toughest lockdown, we couldn’t do our in-person clinical skills classes and the learning experience got quite lonely without seeing my friends and classmates regularly, but we managed to pull through it. The online zoom lectures and workshops have served their purpose well, and not having to commute to class certainly makes the mornings easier! But I miss in-person lectures. I learn better when I can talk more freely in a classroom and the relationships with my classmates are stronger when we’re working in-person too.

In the immediate future, I would like to get some clinical experience under my belt, especially in the neurology and neuro-ophthalmology space because those areas pique my interest the most. But ultimately, I would like to pursue research, complete a doctorate in the area, and possibly teach further down the track as well. I know that research is the space that allows me the creativity and learning that I thrive on, so I know that will be a part of my future, but I want to make sure that my work there is having an impact on my patients, so having a clinical background to support that research is important to me.

The course is challenging, there’s no doubt about that, it will take a lot of hard work, so you need to be prepared for that. But if you come in ready to jump in with both feet, and if you’ve found your niche like I have, it makes the work a lot easier to manage. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. I think there can be a lot of fear and uncertainty in the classroom and some people don’t want to appear stupid by answering incorrectly or asking a question, which is a natural insecurity to have because learning is an inherently vulnerable experience. But I have far more respect for someone who is prepared to give something a go and ends up saying the wrong thing, than for someone who hides in the background. You won’t learn nearly as well if you don’t give yourself those opportunities to be vulnerable and admit that you don’t know. Make friends with your classmates and work together. There is no point in holding up the old-school competitive thing about marks, you’re much better off working collaboratively, listening to one another and supporting each other – both with learning and with life. And at the end of the day, you are more than your mark or your degree. Make sure you’re prioritising your wellbeing as a whole person, because the degree won’t matter at all if you completely fall apart at the end.