About

The orthoptic service provides diagnosis and treatment of eye movement disorders and visual development problems in adults.

Patients may attend with sudden eye symptoms, for example double vision. The orthoptist investigates the cause, treats the immediate symptoms, refers for further investigations if indicated and makes a long-term management plan.

Visual fields assessments use the Humphrey Analyser and Goldmann Perimeter and can take place at either Western Eye or Charing Cross hospitals.

Children are assessed and treated for visual development conditions such as amblyopia and strabismus within the children’s ophthalmology service at St Mary’s Hospital.

Conditions and treatments

The conditions we treat include:

• Ocular muscle palsies from infra nuclear and supra nuclear disorders
• Mechanical eye movement disorder due to medical disease or trauma
• Acquired sudden visual field loss due to neurological disease
• Longstanding eye movement disorders starting in childhood
• Double vision using exercises, prisms or occlusion