AOP Awards 2014 voting opens

The shortlisted nominees for the AOP Awards 2014 have been announced and voting has now opened. Run by the Association of Optometrists (AOP), the awards recognise the highest levels of achievement in UK optics.

Since voting opened last week (23 May) the AOP has received an unprecedented level of  interest, with nearly 2,000 votes already cast for the shortlisted candidates. Headline sponsored by CooperVision, the awards has grown in popularity year-on-year since its launch in 2011, cementing itself as a highlight in the optical calendar.

Former AOP Chairman and AOP Awards 2014 Head Judge, David Shannon, said: “Throughout the year members of our profession and the industry provide first-rate eye and vision care to the public. The standard of entrants for this year’s AOP Awards has been exceptionally high and in reaching the shortlist the nominees have shown both innovation and distinction.”

There are eleven categories to vote for, including two new categories for 2014 – ‘Young Practice of the Year’ and ‘Specialist Practice of the Year’. For more information on all the shortlisted nominees and to vote, visit the Optometry Today website at www.optometry.co.uk/awards Voting closes at midnight on 31 August. The winners will be announced at the national AOP Awards ceremony on 23 October in Birmingham.

Ends

For more information, please contact Anne Grenyer, Communications and Marketing Manager at the Association of Optometrists, [email protected] or telephone 020 7549 2063.

Notes to Editors

Association of Optometrists

Formed in 1946, the Association of Optometrists (AOP) is the only organisation that represents both optometry as a profession and the views of individual optometrists. Its core purpose is to provide unrivalled support enabling professionals to deliver high quality eye care with confidence. With nearly 14,000 members, the AOP represents and promotes the interests of its members to stakeholders in the UK and Europe. As part of the Optical Confederation, the AOP works closely with other optical bodies to lobby national decision makers on issues related to the eye health agenda.

AOP Awards

Now in its fourth year, the AOP Awards are the only accolades in the optical industry to be voted for by the profession itself. The awards celebrate the achievements of those in optics who have stood out from their peers and deserve to be recognised for their excellence. The
winners of the AOP Awards 2014 will be revealed at a black-tie gala dinner of more than 500 guests on 23 October, during the National Optical Conference in Birmingham. For more information on all the shortlisted nominees and to vote, please visit the Optometry Today website at www.optometry.co.uk/awards 

AOP Awards 2014 headline sponsor: CooperVision 

Category sponsors: CooperVision (Contact Lens Practitioner of the Year); AEL Chartered Accountants (Practice of the Year); Alcon (Lifetime Achievement of the Year); and The Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers (Optical Assistant of the Year).