How to Find an Orthoptist or Contact Orthoptics Australia

Orthoptics Australia (OA) provides two direct routes for the public: a Directory of Orthoptists on its website for finding a practitioner, and a contact line at 03 9586 6080 or [email protected] for general enquiries. The directory is the right starting point if you need to locate an orthoptist; the phone and email are for questions about the organisation, membership, events, or advertising. Note that some parts of the site, including the member portal, are restricted to logged-in members.

Finding an Orthoptist

OA lists a Directory of Orthoptists under its Workplace Resources section. This is the site's own tool for locating practitioners, and it sits alongside related professional resources such as information on professional indemnity insurance and government funding, legislation and programs.

To use it:

1. Go to the OA website (orthoptics.org.au).
2. Navigate to the Workplace Resources area.
3. Open the Directory of Orthoptists.

Expected result: a listing of orthoptists you can use to identify a practitioner to contact. The site does not state whether the directory is searchable by state or suburb, so treat it as a starting list rather than a filtered search tool.

If you are unsure whether orthoptics is the right service for your situation, OA's About Orthoptics section includes "What is Orthoptics?" and "Career in Orthoptics" pages that explain the discipline before you make contact.

Contacting Orthoptics Australia

The site lists a single contact point in its footer:

OA describes itself as the national peak body representing Australian orthoptists, with members also in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. It promotes and advances orthoptics in public hospitals and ophthalmology practices. That scope tells you what the office handles: organisational and membership matters, not clinical appointments.

Use the office contact for: membership questions, event registration, sponsorship and advertising, job advertising, and general organisational enquiries.

Do not use it for: booking a clinical appointment. For that, go through the Directory of Orthoptists or contact a practice directly.

Member Portal and Login Access

OA operates a Member Portal ("My OA Profile") that includes tools such as the My OA CPD Tracker and My OA Groups. Access requires a member login, and the site presents this as a members-only area.

What this means in practice:

• If you are an OA member, log in to manage your profile, track CPD, and access group areas.
• If you are not a member, the portal is not available to you. Membership categories and criteria, benefits, and a join page are listed under the Membership section if you want to check eligibility.
• The public-facing parts of the site — the directory, event calendar, news, and contact details — do not require login.

Other Reasons You Might Be on the Site

The OA site covers several areas beyond practitioner lookup, and knowing which section you need saves time:

• Events and professional development: an event calendar, the OA Online Education (OAOE) platform, member webinars, and an annual conference with registration, program, and abstract submissions.
• Research: the Australian Orthoptic Journal (AOJ), research grants, and eye health research listings.
• Advocacy and media: position statements, advocacy news, Orthoptics Awareness Week, and World Orthoptic Day.
• Eye health partners: organisations including Glaucoma Australia, Macular Disease Foundation Australia, Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA), Guide Dogs Victoria, and Cataract Kids Australia.
• Careers: job vacancies and the option to advertise a job.

If your goal is simply to reach a person, the phone number and email above are the fastest route. If your goal is to find an orthoptist near you, start with the Directory of Orthoptists and follow up with the practice directly.