Orthoptics in Estonia By Svetlana Ismagilova
Here in Estonia we have three orthoptists (all of us have secondary medical education). One in Latvia, who was educated as an optometrist, and as far as I know there is none in Lithuatia. In Estonia orthoptists have been working since 1996. As we have no orthoptic schools in Estonia, we were trained in orthoptics by ophtholmologists and studied a lot of special literature. We acquired our practical skills in Sweden under supervision of orthoptist Eileen Bentley-Wennhall, who also visited our country to control the work of Estonian orthoptists. Because orthoptics is not accepted as a profession in our country our main goal is to make it legitimate. I was given the opportunity to continue the education in orthoptics in Sheffield University, England. I graduated in 2006. Unfortunately nothing has changed. But we still hope, that the situation will take a turn for the better.
