Alis Sejourne is lead orthoptist for neuro-ophthalmology and adults with learning difficulties at the Royal London Hospital, Barts Health trust
What do you do? How did you start your career?
I diagnose and manage eye movement disorders, visual field defects and binocular vision or visual development problems, such as amblyopia (lazy eye) and strabismus (squint). I had nine months of hospital placements throughout the three-year degree course in orthoptics.
I started my career at King’s College Hospital, and progressed to a specialist orthoptist there. I took a maternity cover senior role at the Royal London Hospital, leading the school screening, adults with learning disabilities and idiopathic intracranial hypertension services. I am now in a permanent post leading the neuro-ophthalmology and adults with learning disabilities services. I love it!
Why were you interested in this field?
I was interested in healthcare and helping others. I was introduced to orthoptics through the UCAS clearing process. I am interested in how the brain and eyes work together, so my current field of neuro-ophthalmology appealed to me.
I also enjoy quality improvement projects. We’ve created a system where people with additional needs have a mailbox to contact us with any concerns or changes in visual behaviour. We offer more frequent telephone consultations and longer in-person appointments. There’s help to prepare people for appointments, using pictures and makaton sign language. I feel I can make a difference for our patients with learning disabilities.
Collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to manage these services has been very rewarding. This includes different grades of ophthalmologists (eye doctors), nurses and technicians who carry out specialised scans.
We often work with trauma surgeons, as eye problems can be caused by accidents and injuries. We also collaborate with dentists, as we can carry out eye checks when an adult with a learning disability is having a general anaesthetic for dental work.
What do you start with every day?
The beauty of orthoptics is that every day is different! I receive my timetable every week. I may be scheduled to run an adult clinic in the morning and paediatrics in the afternoon. I may be in the adults with learning disabilities clinic, or the consultant paediatric ophthalmology or hearing impairment clinics. Orthoptists are heavily involved in the trauma, stroke and retinoblastoma (eye cancer) clinics.
We also visit special educational needs schools for community eye tests. If I have an admin session, I respond to emails, go through clinic lists looking at what patients need, complete audits or work on quality improvement projects
What are the main challenges?
Running busy clinics on top of leading demanding services requires a good level of prioritisation and time management. I am working on becoming more present when I am with patients and remembering to enjoy each moment!
What do you love about what you do?
I find it incredibly rewarding to witness the impact my work has on patients’ lives. Whether it’s helping a child achieve better vision or enabling an adult to find relief from double vision, these moments are truly fulfilling.
I also appreciate the dynamic nature of the role, with each day bringing new challenges and opportunities to learn and grow. Being part of a team of skilled professionals, exchanging knowledge, and collectively tackling challenging cases makes the work even more rewarding.
How do you wrap up your day and prepare for the next one?
I finish by completing patient notes, following up on any pending tasks, and reviewing the next day’s schedule to ensure any necessary preparations are made. I often take time to reflect on the day and identify areas where adjustments may be needed.