Editorial
Longer ago than I care to admit, I was a college junior looking into career opportunities. At the time, I had just decided against medical school, and I was wondering what to do with my life.. Like many of us, I heard about orthoptics from someone familiar with the profession. By chance, One of my distant relatives is an ophthalmologist, and he suggested orthoptics to me.. However, just looking into orthoptics proved to be challenging. No one at my university had ever heard of it. I finally found an informational brochure – dated some 20 years earlier.. Luckily, I was persistent and discovered what I consider to be the greatest career in allied health.
Skip ahead to today, and you will find things haven’t changed that much. Recently, I attended a meeting of the Central Association for the Advisors of Health Professions. I was stunned when I could not find one single person at that meeting who knew what orthoptics is, much less that it is a viable career opportunity. . Obviously, I imparted all of the wonderful aspects of orthoptics as a profession to any and all of those who wanted to listen (and even to some of those who did not). Who better than college advisors to help us with recruitment of new students? Those attending the meeting seemed very excited about orthoptics and were anxious to tell their students about it.
This experience has made me all the more determined to spread the word about orthoptics. I have been called “orthoptic’s cheerleader” by some of my past students. When I find something great, I want everyone to know about it. It is important for those of us in the profession of orthoptics to speak out and let others know of this unbelievable career. In the United States, there are more opportunities for orthoptists than there are orthoptists to fill them. Those ophthalmologists who would like to hire a certified orthoptist, and cannot due to the lack of availability, are finding ways to do without. To guarantee the future of our profession, we must recruit new students. One of the best ways is how I learned about orthoptics – from someone who is familiar with it. We just need to spread the word, to anyone and everyone.
I am asking for help from all who read this. Whether you are an orthoptist or you are someone who knows about the profession, you can help spread the word. We have an exceptional opportunity and we just have to sell it. In doing so, we promote the future of orthoptics and offer an amazing career option to those looking for an allied health field, but unsure of which one to choose.
Orthoptics has so much to offer. Let everyone know.