Therefore, people who work in the orthoptic field attempt to make a person's eyes straight. Orthoptics is an allied health profession in which people study eye movements. Humans use both eyes to see a single image. By using both eyes, people are able to judge distance properly. Sometimes, however, the eyes do not work well together because they are not straight and focused on the same target, or the image of one eye is not clear.
Orthoptists help diagnose and treat disorders affecting visual acuity and eye movement.
Most patients of orthoptists are children who suffer from strabismus. One eye focuses properly, but the other eye strays, creating a cross-eyed appearance. One eye may also be higher or lower than the other. Some adults, as well as 2 to 4 percent of all children, suffer from strabismus. Treatment may consist of the use of eye exercises, eyeglasses, eye patches, prisms, surgery, or a combination of methods to correct focusing errors.