“Always do the work that sounds most interesting”

Tell us about your role…

I am a senior optometrist at Moorfields Eye Hospital and an honorary senior research associate at University College London. I work in adult and paediatric low vision clinics at Moorfields, and I have a particular interest in the impact of visual impairment on children and new technology for people with low vision.

If you could change one thing about the way we work, what would it be?

Across all areas of the profession, I’d like to see less focus on the numbers of patients we see, and more on the quality of care provided.

What are you most proud of?

For me, it is successfully working part-time and maintaining a healthy work/life balance.

What I most enjoy is learning from people with visual impairment what their life is like and the strategies they use

What advice would you give your younger self?

I’d say don’t be motivated by money. Always do the work that sounds most interesting.

What do you like most/least about your working day?

What I most enjoy is learning from people with visual impairment about what their life is like and the strategies they use. Working with hospital IT systems is what I like least.

How do you manage a work/life balance?

I find having clear boundaries between clinical work, research, writing and home times helps. And I try to have least one screen-free day per week.

What do you do to unwind?

I listen to Test Match Special in the bath.

You have won the OT lottery. What are the first three things you would do with the £1m jackpot?

I would put some aside for my daughter’s future, buy an original Eames armchair, and probably give the rest away.

About the author

Dr Michael Crossland is a senior optometrist at Moorfields Eye Hospital and an honorary senior research associate at University College London. He graduated with a BSc in optometry from Aston University in 1998 and was awarded a PhD by the University of London in 2004. He works in adult and paediatric low vision clinics at Moorfields and has published more than 40 peer-reviewed journal articles on low vision. He is particularly interested in the impact of visual impairment on children and new technology for people with low vision.