UTS Orthoptics Celebrates Decade of Growth

The University of Technology Sydney Graduate School of Health has celebrated 10 years of the Master of Orthoptics program at an event that brought together clinical supervisors, industry partners, alumni, and final-year students.

Professor Toby Newton John, Head of the Graduate School of Health, expressed pride in the programme’s evolution. “Ten years led by the esteemed Professor Kathy Rose is just the beginning and a wonderful contribution,” he said, acknowledging the foundation laid by the programme’s inaugural head and thanking Associate Professor Amanda French for her excellent leadership in continuing the discipline’s success.

Building a Vision for Excellence

When the programme launched at UTS, it came with an ambitious vision: to create the best master of orthoptics programme in the world. Associate Professor French, current Head of Discipline and President of Orthoptics Australia, reflected on this founding aspiration. “We had a vision of creating the best master of orthoptics programme in the world – a programme that was research-led and evidence-based, that had person-centred practice at its core, and that developed graduates that would strive for excellence in orthoptic practice.”

That vision has translated into impressive outcomes. The UTS Master of Orthoptics has become one of only two master programmes for orthoptics internationally and is believed to be the largest university course for orthoptics in the world. Over the past decade, the programme has added almost 500 orthoptists to the workforce, exponentially growing the orthoptic profession to now match ophthalmologists in number across Australia.

The UTS Master of Orthoptics has become one of only two master programmes for orthoptics internationally and is believed to be the largest university course for orthoptics in the world

National and International Impact

UTS orthoptics graduates have taken orthoptic roles across major Australian cities including Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane, as well as regional, rural, and remote locations such as Broome, Alice Springs, Darwin, Rockhampton, and Townsville. Internationally, graduates have secured positions in the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore, Malaysia, and Norway, contributing to the growth of the orthoptic workforce in areas with chronically high demand.

The program’s research profile has also flourished. UTS has graduated eight orthoptics PhDs since its inception, with three current PhD students and one research master’s student enrolled. During her tenure as Head of Discipline, Professor Kathryn Rose achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first professor of orthoptics in Australia, representing a significant step towards securing the future of orthoptic education and greater recognition of the importance of orthoptists in the eye health workforce.

Clinical Partnerships and Recognition

The celebration acknowledged the critical role of clinical supervisors and industry partners in student education. Awards were presented recognising the highest clinical placement offers across various sectors. Sydney Eye Hospital received the public health service award with an impressive 1,044 hours delivered  by Melanie Lai and Kirsty Somerville Mcalester in 2025. The private health service award went to Kristina Knezović from Retina and Eye Consultants, while Vision Australia received recognition in the non-government organisation category, with Cem Oztan single-handedly contributing 284 hours.

The school’s annual Clinician Award – voted by final year students for the clinical supervisor who best supported their learning – resulted in a tie between Mr Oztan and Kirsty Somerville Mcalester. Student testimonials praised Mr Oztan as “an amazing, passionate orthoptist” who was “extremely patient with students and cultivated an open discussion.” For Ms Somerville Mcalester, students noted: “When I wasn’t confident, she continuously motivated me to step out of my comfort zone.”

Research and Community Engagement

Throughout its ten years, the orthoptics program has achieved strong engagement with the broader orthoptics community. This year proved particularly significant with the International Orthoptic Congress held in Brisbane – the first time the event has been held in Australia since before many current practitioners graduated. UTS had a strong presence, with six staff members presenting at the conference alongside three PhD presenters and three student or new graduate presenters. Notably, Rani Bahho received the International Orthoptic Association Research Student Award for his work.

Beyond research, UTS orthoptics has actively promoted eye health and the profession through various initiatives. Students have participated in vision screening events, including a memorable campaign tied to the Elio movie launch at Westfield, where children received vision screening. Additionally, the program has hosted multiple events at UTS, including the ophthalmology registrar mock objective structured clinical examinations prior to the annual Strabismus Symposium, and the New South Wales Annual Scientific meeting for Orthoptics Australia. Guests were reminded of the upcoming RANZCO Australian and New Zealand Strabismus Society meeting, which is scheduled to be held at the UTS’s Aerial Function Centre in Ultimo in May 2026.

The Magic Eyepatch cover

The evening featured the launch of The Magic Eyepatch, a children’s book created through a decade-long student-led initiative by the Orthoptics Student Society. The amblyopia awareness project, supported by sponsors Optimed and OrtoPad, represents a labour of love across multiple student cohorts and a passionate facilitation throughout the years by Associate Lecturer and External Engagement Officer, Mara Giribaldi.  Proceeds from OrtoPad patch sales helped fund its publication.

Describing the book to attendees, Jesse Warner, president of the Orthoptics Student Society, said the goal is “to get as many copies out into the world as possible, educating children, educators, and other healthcare professionals on the importance of wearing an eye patch and the treatment of amblyopia”.

Blink of an Eye

Despite facing challenges including five building moves, systems changes, and pandemic-related disruptions, the UTS Master of Orthoptics program has maintained its focus on excellence, established a growing research profile, and sent graduates out into Australia and the world who are making a difference to community eye health.

As Associate Professor French noted, “This significant milestone sounds like a long time, but for us it’s felt like the blink of an eye.”