Welcome to the Orthoptic Department
Our aim is to provide an efficient and effective Orthoptic Service.
All patients referred to the department will be treated as individuals and be involved with their treatment whenever possible, in conjunction with medical staff and relatives.
Blackpool Orthoptic Department provides professional, caring staff whose aim is to administer a high quality of treatment to our patients. All staff will respect the individual’s right to courtesy, dignity and privacy during their time in clinic. Our treatment is evidence based and follows guidelines issued by the British and Irish Orthoptic Society.
Please access this website for further information on Orthoptics as well as patient advice leaflets.
Contacting the Orthoptic Department
Telephone 01253 953 457 (an answering service is available to leave a message should we be unable to take your call).
Alternatively you can e-mail us at: bfwh.orthoptics@nhs.net
Orthoptic Department Opening times
Monday to Friday: 8:30am until 4:30pm
Closed for lunch between 12:15pm and 12:45pm
Optometry clinics: Monday am and pm. Tuesday am. Thursday am and pm sessions.
How to find us
The Orthoptic Department is located in the Outpatients Department, Area 1.
General Information
Orthoptics
Orthoptists are specialist members of the Eye Care Team. We are known as Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) because we work alongside other medical staff to provide a broad range of care. Our role is primarily to diagnose and treat eye misalignment problems called strabismus. We are trained to assess binocular vision and visual development problems so we dedicate a large amount of time to testing children in order to ensure that they achieve the best visual outcome. Orthoptists work primarily in hospital outpatient departments but we also undertake visual screening in state, public and specialist schools as well as monitoring patients in some community health centres. Orthoptists will visit some hospital wards to assess patients there.
As well as looking after children, Orthoptists manage visual problems in 
adults including double vision (diplopia). Diplopia, blurred vision, abnormal eye movements or having a problem performing normal visual tasks may necessitate a referral to us. These sort of problems can arise from neurological conditions, an endocrine problem, having suffered a stroke or if you are a patient that has suffered trauma to the eye.
Peripheral Orthoptic Clinic Sites
(Please note that these clinics are NOT available every week)
St Annes Health Centre – Monday am
Durham Avenue, St Annes, FY8 2BD
Kirkham Clinic – Monday pm
Moor Street, Kirkham, PR4 2DL
Thornton Clinic – Tuesday pm
Church Road, Thornton-Cleveleys, FY5 2TZ
South Shore Primary Care Centre – Tuesday pm, Thursday am and pm
Lytham Road, Blackpool, FY4 1TJ
Lytham Primary Care Centre – Friday am and pm
Victoria Street, Lytham FY8 5DZ
Freckleton Health Centre – Monday am
Douglas Drive, PR4 1RY
Fleetwood Clinic – Thursday am and pm
Fleetwood Hospital Outpatients, Pharos Street, Fleetwood, FY7 6BE.
Garstang Health Centre – Thursday pm
Kepple Lane, Garstang PR3 1PB
Moor Park Health Centre – Wednesday pm
Bristol Avenue, Blackpool FY2 0TG
Whitegate Health Centre – Thursday pm
Whitegate Drive, Blackpool, FY3 9ES
Cleveleys Group Practice – Friday pm
Kelso Ave, Cleveleys, FY5 3LF
Peripheral Visual Screening Sites
(Please note that the majority of visual screening is now carried out in Reception class at school. Children who attend peripheral screening sites are generally referred to us by their Health Visitor).
Whitegate Health Centre – Thursdays
150 Whitegate Drive, Blackpool, FY3 9ES.
South Shore Primary Care Centre – Tuesdays
Lytham Road, Blackpool, FY4 1TJ.
St Annes Clinic -Mondays
St Annes Health Centre, Durham Avenue, St Annes, FY8 2BD.