2021 World Orthoptic Day
World Orthoptic Day is held every year on the first Monday in June. Today Orthoptists all over the world celebrate and promote their profession and their works as eye care providers. It is a day to showcase unity and solidarity among the global Orthoptic community as well as among eye care professionals: Contact lens specialists, Ophthalmic medical technicians and Ophthalmic dispensers also known as Opticians, Optometrists, and Ophthalmologists.
Orthoptics is a career allied to the eye care profession. Orthoptists are the specialists who diagnose and treat defects in eye movements and problems with binocular vision. Binocular problems can be caused by issues with the muscles around the eyes or defects in the nerves that enable communication between the brain and the eyes. Orthoptists are responsible for the diagnosis and non-surgical management of strabismus a.k.a squint, amblyopia a.k.a lazy eye, and eye movement disorders.
Historical timeline:
The history of Orthoptics and Orthoptists supporting eye care dates back to 1550 BC when humans’ interests were in the functioning of the muscles responsible for eye movements. They experimented with treating strabismus using tortoise brains mixed with honey, crocodile dung, and lizard blood.
In 200 AD, Galen acknowledged that there is an association between the retinal cones and how binocular vision works.
In 550 AD, Aeginaeta developed the first recorded treatment of strabismus which consisted of using a mask with small perforations for the eye that was meant to be straightened.
The year 1560 witnessed the first recorded accurate description of the extra-ocular muscles.
In 1743, Amblyopia treatment became well-known.
In 1865, French Ophthalmologist Louis Javal, who is now considered the “Father of Orthoptics”, introduced the employment of ocular exercises, surgery, and stereoscope in the treatment of strabismus.
In 1919 in England, Mary Maddox pioneered the orthoptic profession and was the first documented orthoptist who practiced as an allied health professional. She was trained by her father, Ernest E. Maddox, in response to increasing patient demand and the time needed to examine and treat patients. Dr. Ernest Maddox was a well-known ophthalmologist who also invented various instruments for investigating binocular vision.
Mary Maddox started her own practice in London in the early 1920s and her first hospital clinic opened at the Royal Westminster Hospital in 1928. Mary Maddox’s work in the orthoptic investigation and the treatment of strabismus inspired others to choose the profession too.
In the 1930’s, the study of orthoptics spread from Great Britain to North America and Australia.
In 1931, the first Australian hospital clinic with orthoptists was established at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne.
In 1937, the first Canadian orthoptic clinic was opened in Winnipeg.
In 1938 the American Orthoptic Council was formed to represent the interests of American orthoptists.
In the 1940s in Poland, Professor Marian Wilczek (1903 – 1967) initiative led to the construction of the Eye Hospital in Witkowice near Krakow, just after the end of World War II. Professor Wilczek was known for running regular courses for orthoptists working at clinics specializing in strabismus and amblyopia.
In 1940 Vancouver opened the first Canadian training school, and in 1967 The Canadian Orthoptic Society and the Canadian Orthoptic Council were founded.
References:
Vukicevic, M., Koklanis, K and Giribaldi, M. Orthoptics: Evolving to meet increasing demand for eye service. In Insight news. March 2013: Sydney, Australia.
More information on how to participate at the 2021 World Orthoptic Day can be found at https://www.internationalorthoptics.org/
Upcoming International Events and Congresses for Orthoptist
17. June.2021 – 19. June.2021: 2021 EPOS congress
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Link: www.epos2020.dk
19.June.2021: WSPOS Webinar – Virtual Strabismus wet lab 2
Location: Online