Feature -- by Mark Sproxton

Inside the eye clinic of the Alberta Children's Hospital, a staff member parades around a check-up room flailing her arms and making strange noises. The previously uninterested six-year-old suddenly cracks a smile and devotes her full attention to the unusual happenings in the room.

"You have to have a good sense of humour and you can't be afraid to act like a cow to get a kid's attention," says Heather Vibert, a certified orthoptist. "You have to really like children, be a good talker and be sympathetic."

Orthoptists are eye muscle specialists who work alongside ophthalmologists (eye surgeons) helping to correct and treat problems, primarily in kids, such as lazy, crooked or crossed eyes, double vision.... Orthoptists conduct various types of vision and depth perception tests and will measure how crooked someone's eyes are, for instance. Those measurements will then be passed to an ophthalmologist who performs a corrective operation. Afterward, the orthoptist will play a part in the monitoring and rehabilitation of the person's eye muscles.

"We help people obtain the use of their eyes together, having three dimensional good vision," Vibert said. "Some jobs require depth perception and good vision, if we can help them have better options in their lives, all the better." Never heard of an orthoptist? Get in line. There are currently eight orthoptists in Calgary, and only about 114 across the country working in this specialized field.

Like many in this career, Vibert received care from an orthoptist while a child which first sparked an interest in the career. "I had a lazy eye," she said. "I went to the orthoptist and had the check-up and surgery, the whole nine yards. I thought this would be neat."

Fourteen years later she still holds the same impression, although the training has changed since she graduated from the hospital-based post-secondary program. When Vibert applied to the Saskatoon hospital for its two-year orthoptics program, she was only required to have completed two years of post-secondary education. Now, however, applicants to the four orthoptic programs in Canada -- Saskatoon, Vancouver, Toronto, Halifax -- must have a bachelor of science degree. Each program accepts two students every two years.

As orthoptists must work under the supervision of an ophthalmologist, the majority work in hospitals with eye clinics, although some work in private ophthalmology clinics. Vibert said that's one of the few drawbacks of the job. "You can't work in a small town. If you're a small town person you have to leave the small town behind." The hospital setting means orthoptists typically work an 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday schedule.

In addition to the clean, comfortable working environment, Vibert enjoys most assisting others achieve better vision. "It's just helping people," she said. "And if it's bad news, the doctor deals with it."