# British and Irish Orthoptic Society

> organisation involved in scholarly research

**Wikidata**: [Q74557755](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q74557755)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/british-and-irish-orthoptic-society-q74557755

## Summary
The British and Irish Orthoptic Society is a charitable organization classified as a research institute that conducts scholarly research in the field of orthoptics. Established in 1985, it operates with 3 employees and 155 volunteers, publishing "The British and Irish orthoptic journal" as its primary scholarly output.

## Key Facts
- Charity commission number: 326905 (registered since July 31, 1985)
- Classified as both a research institute and charitable organization
- Employees: 3 (as of 2024)
- Volunteers: 155 (as of 2017)
- Revenue: £310,665 (2019), £389,912 (2020), £717,794 (2021), £492,938 (2022), £357,346 (2023), £773,236 (2024)
- Donations: £384,345 (2021), £268,750 (2024)
- UK Parliament thesaurus ID: 4515
- Publishes "The British and Irish orthoptic journal"
- Related to the research institute organizational class

## FAQs
### Q: What is the legal status of the British and Irish Orthoptic Society?
A: The British and Irish Orthoptic Society is registered as a charitable organization with the UK Charity Commission, with registration number 326905 since July 31, 1985.

### Q: How many people work for the British and Irish Orthoptic Society?
A: The organization operates with 3 employees as of 2024 and has previously utilized 155 volunteers as of 2017.

### Q: What publications does the British and Irish Orthoptic Society produce?
A: The society publishes "The British and Irish orthoptic journal," which serves as its primary scholarly output and is referenced in its classification as a research institute.

### Q: How has the British and Irish Orthoptic Society's financial performance changed over time?
A: The organization's revenue has fluctuated between £310,665 in 2019 and £773,236 in 2024, with notable increases in 2021 and 2024, while donations reached £384,345 in 2021 and £268,750 in 2024.

## Why It Matters
The British and Irish Orthoptic Society serves as a dedicated research infrastructure for the specialized field of orthoptics, which deals with visual disorders and eye movement abnormalities. By functioning as both a charitable organization and research institute, it bridges the gap between academic research and practical application in vision care. The society's fluctuating but generally increasing revenue and donation figures indicate growing recognition of the importance of orthoptic research in addressing visual health challenges. Its publication of "The British and Irish orthoptic journal" provides a critical platform for disseminating specialized knowledge that might not find a home in more general ophthalmology publications, thereby advancing the field through focused scholarly communication.

## Notable For
- Being one of the few organizations classified specifically as both a research institute and charitable organization in the orthoptics field
- Maintaining a consistent publication of "The British and Irish orthoptic journal" as its scholarly output
- Demonstrating significant financial growth with revenue increasing from £310,665 in 2019 to £773,236 in 2024
- Operating with a lean staff structure (3 employees) while supporting a substantial volunteer base (155 volunteers)
- Being recognized with a UK Parliament thesaurus ID (4515), indicating its formal classification in government knowledge systems

## Body
### Organizational Classification
The British and Irish Orthoptic Society is formally classified as both a research institute and a charitable organization within knowledge organization systems. This dual classification positions it uniquely in the landscape of scholarly organizations, combining the focused research mission characteristic of research institutes with the public service orientation of charitable entities. The organization's charity commission number (326905) has remained consistent since its registration on July 31, 1985, providing a stable institutional identity throughout its operational history.

### Human Resources Structure
The society maintains a lean operational structure with 3 employees as of 2024, indicating a focused approach to its research and publication activities. This small permanent staff is complemented by a substantial volunteer base of 155 individuals as of 2017, suggesting a model that leverages community engagement while maintaining professional oversight. This human resources structure allows the organization to maintain scholarly rigor without the overhead of larger institutional frameworks, potentially enabling more focused attention on orthoptic research priorities.

### Financial Performance
The organization's financial trajectory shows notable variability with overall growth. Revenue figures demonstrate fluctuation between £310,665 in 2019 and £773,236 in 2024, with particularly strong performance in 2021 (£717,794) and 2024 (£773,236). Donations have also been a significant funding source, reaching £384,345 in 2021 and £268,750 in 2024. This financial pattern suggests the organization has successfully diversified its funding streams while maintaining a commitment to its research mission, with revenue growth potentially reflecting increased recognition of orthoptic research importance.

### Scholarly Output
The society's primary scholarly contribution is the publication of "The British and Irish orthoptic journal," which serves as both a research output and a classification reference. This journal represents the society's commitment to advancing knowledge in the specialized field of orthoptics, focusing on visual disorders and eye movement abnormalities. The journal's existence as a distinct publication rather than a general ophthalmology outlet indicates the society's recognition of orthoptics as a specialized field requiring dedicated scholarly communication channels.

### Institutional Recognition
The British and Irish Orthoptic Society has achieved formal recognition within multiple knowledge organization systems. Its inclusion in the UK Parliament thesaurus with ID 4515 demonstrates its classification in government knowledge frameworks, while its dual classification as both a research institute and charitable organization reflects its unique position in the scholarly landscape. This institutional recognition facilitates the society's ability to collaborate with other research entities while maintaining its specialized focus on orthoptics.

## References

1. [Directory of Open Access Journals](https://www.bioj-online.com/about/editorialpolicies/)
2. Charity Commission Register of Charities