Practice team guide: The secret ingredients

From children's eye care to career progression, how to help your practice team thrive in 2026

Selina Powell

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Practice team guide: The secret ingredients

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Practice team guide

A child’s view of practice

Optical professionals in different roles share the approach they take to offering children a fun and engaging experience in practice

In partnership with:

Practice team

04 Jun 10 min read

Practice team guide

You don’t say: using effective body language in practice

OT speaks with optometrists, Ian Davies and Paul Chapman-Hatchett, about harnessing non-verbal cues to improve patient care

In partnership with:

Practice team

04 Jun

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Practice team guide

Presbyopia, contact lenses, and the practice team

Johnson & Johnson professional affairs consultant, Faye McDearmid, on how the whole practice team can support presbyopic patients, unlock contact lens opportunities, and challenge common myths

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Practice team

04 Jun 6 min read

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Practice team guide

The next step

Optical professionals outline how they approach career progression in practice – and their professional development goals for 2026

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Practice team

04 Jun 7 min read

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Practice team guide

How AI is changing optometry

Exploring the diverse ways that artificial intelligence technology is transforming practice

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Practice team

04 Jun 5 min read

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Practice team guide

The ABC of OCT

How teamwork can enhance the use of optical coherence tomography in practice

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Practice team

04 Jun 5 min read

An illustration of a compass with two professionals standing beneath. On the compass a series of clinical conundrums are written including ‘NHS eligibility’ and ‘supervision’

Practice team guide

Common conundrums answered

A panel of experienced eye care professionals share their approach to navigating everyday dilemmas in practice

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Practice team

04 Jun 5 min read

At Johnson & Johnson, we are committed to supporting the growth of practice teams, recognising that outstanding contact lens care is achieved through a collaborative, knowledgeable team supporting patients at every step of their journey

Risha Patel, professional education development manager, Johnson & Johnson

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Practice team guide: Eye care

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Lessons in leadership

Optical professionals discuss the qualities that they admire – and aim to embody – in effective leaders

In partnership with:

Practice team

02 Oct 2025 6 min read

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Wellbeing in focus

From daily happiness habits to tips for nurturing contented teams, OT explores how practitioners can maintain their mental and physical health

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Practice team

02 Oct 2025 6 min read

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Astigmats matter

OT explores how the whole practice team can work together to ensure tailored, comfortable contact lens solutions are provided to astigmatic patients

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Practice team

02 Oct 2025

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Effective triage

OT learns how teamwork played a key role in the timely identification of a retinal detachment at Eyeglass Opticians

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Practice team

02 Oct 2025

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Navigating complaints in practice

Optical Consumer Complaints Service resolution manager, Kayleigh Turnbull, shares her top tips for preventing conflict from escalating in practice

In partnership with:

Practice team

02 Oct 2025

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My life in eyewear

Charting the professional and personal lives of two experienced dispensing opticians through their choice in eyewear

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Practice team

02 Oct 2025 5 min read

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Glasses greener

How Bill Opticians in Devon is embracing sustainability

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Practice team

02 Oct 2025

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Practice team guide: Working in tandem

Desert island rx

OT finds out what spectacles contributors would wear if the only audience was passing seagulls

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Practice team

02 Aug 2024

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Lifestyle lessons

OT speaks with practice team members about how to tailor eyewear and contact lenses to a patient’s individual lifestyle

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Practice team

02 Aug 2024

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Material benefits

Johnson & Johnson’s Dr Rachel Hiscox on how developments in contact lens technology are reducing dropout rates and improving comfort

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Practice team

02 Aug 2024

Myopia management in the spotlight

OT learns how engaged and cohesive practice teams can make a difference to their patients’ lives through myopia management

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Practice team

02 Aug 2024

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Perfecting the patient experience

OT hears from practice team members about their tips for offering streamlined and personal eye care

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Practice team

02 Aug 2024 7 min read

Post busters

Are your social media platforms a ghost town? OT approaches practice team members for their tips on building connections and boosting engagement

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Practice team

02 Aug 2024

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Fostering respectful workplaces

OT explores how optometry practices can tackle bullying, harassment and discrimination – to ensure every team member feels safe coming to work

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Practice team

02 Aug 2024

Practice team guide: Level up

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Dispensing for children

From establishing preferences to finding the perfect fit, OT hears how team members can add to the experience of a practice’s youngest customers

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Practice team

06 Oct 2023 5 min read

The next step

OT hears how optical assistants and dispensing opticians have levelled up their careers

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Practice team

06 Oct 2023 7 min read

Clear communication

OT talks with dispensing optician Maryna Hura about improving the practice experience for patients with hearing loss

In partnership with:

Practice team

06 Oct 2023

Contact lenses in focus

From first teach to talking with patients about upgrades, OT finds out how the practice team can keep patients happy in contact lenses

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Practice team

06 Oct 2023 5 min read

The right care at the right time

From asking the right questions to identifying clinical red flags, OT explores the role of triage in optometry practices

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Practice team

06 Oct 2023 6 min read

Lessons from an eyewear stylist

Dispensing optician, Dan Scott, shares his tips for helping customers to find the perfect frame

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Practice team

06 Oct 2023

How I explain...

From glaucoma to dry eye disease, OT hears from optometrists how they describe different eye conditions to patients

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Practice team

06 Oct 2023

Practice team guide: Unlocking potential

Managing team wellbeing

Optometrists Neil Retallic and Peter Greedy provide guidance on fostering mentally healthy workplaces

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Practice team

07 Oct 2022

View from the other side

Optical staff share their words of wisdom on the qualities they value in colleagues working in other roles

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Practice team

07 Oct 2022 5 min read

The sustainable optometry practice

How can the optical sector reduce its environmental impact? OT explores the role of practice teams in creating a sustainable future

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Practice team

07 Oct 2022

Working as a team to meet evolving needs

Optometrist and past AOP Contact Lens Practitioner of the Year, Faye McDearmid, shares her tips on the role every team member has to play in reducing contact lens drop out

In partnership with:

Practice team

07 Oct 2022