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My inspiration
Turning aspirations into a reality
Optometrist, Pretty Basra, talks to OT about the life-changing impact her A-level chemistry tutor had on her career choices, helping her realise her potential and pursue a career in optometry.
30 April 2021
Who is your inspiration, and can you tell us more about them?
Dr Dave Cox. He was my A-level chemistry resit tutor at Mander Portman Woodward College in South Kensington, London.Can you remember when you first met Dr Cox and what your first impressions were?
I had received my A-level results and they were nowhere near what I needed to get into optometry. I researched whether there were any resit colleges locally that could help with tutoring and enable me resit my exams.This is when I met Dave. He was the first tutor I was introduced to. He asked about my aspirations, and I explained how much I wanted to be an optometrist; I had not considered any other option. He asked at the end of our meeting what grades I would want to achieve on the resit exam. I said I would be over the moon with a grade C. He shook his head and said, ‘no, you will get an A’ and you know what, I did. I went from a grade U to a grade A, in just one year. To this day I am gob-smacked that I did, but I will always say it was his teaching that got me there.
He told me to ‘have the courage of my convictions’ and he is the reason I am the optometrist I am today
Why did you decide to study optometry?
I have been fascinated with eyes from a very young age. My first memory, at roughly four years old, is being fascinated with a lady’s eye colour on a TV programme.
As I grew older that interest became a passion, especially after I was prescribed my first myopic prescription and I saw the difference wearing a pair of glasses made to my whole world. Wearing glasses and being able to see things clearly positively impacted my life through my studies, my appreciation of how blue the sky actually was, and that I could see my mum, dad and brother so clearly.
From that moment onwards I knew I wanted to help correct people’s eyesight and be a part of the patient journey. I experienced first-hand the impact of poor vision, and I knew I needed to be an optometrist.
Did he shape your career choices?
I truly believe I would not be sat here today in my practice working as an optometrist if it wasn’t for Dave. He was my inspiration. He told me to ‘have the courage of my convictions’ and he is the reason I am the optometrist I am today. He showed me that I can achieve great things if I work hard, persevere and give it my all.
What attributes do you most admire about Dr Cox?
His ability to believe in his students, even if they have failed in the past. He teaches his students to be the best version of themselves. He can also make a subject that is complex, and sometimes a little dull, exciting and doable.
Dr Cox shares his thoughts on being Pretty’s inspiration
“I was surprised to hear my phone buzz with a message from Pretty, a student whom I taught many years ago. Not that surprised, mind you, as I am still in touch with old students who I'm pleased to say are doing very well, like Pretty, in their chosen careers.
“I was very flattered to learn that Pretty considers my small part in her career journey worthy of such recognition. As I told all my students: ‘You do the exams, all I do is teach you.’
“I remember Pretty as a diligent and determined student and one in whom I recognised a real will to succeed into her chosen profession. Who was I to stop her? My input was limited to encouraging her and supporting that belief.
"Not all our meetings were work focused. Without the interjection of humour and the development of a mutually respectful relationship none of the above would have been possible. Pretty also is one of several former students who invited me to their wedding too.”
Is there a field within optometry that Dr Cox finds interesting?
No, I don’t think Dave likes eyes very much. The only ‘I’ he is probably interested in is Iodine.
Can you share one thing you’ve learnt from him?
What advice did he give you about your future career?
That I can achieve whatever I put my mind to. It’s not the subject that is difficult, it’s the way you tackle it.
Is there anyone else who you would like to mention that has inspired you throughout your optometry studies or career?
When I was a second-year undergraduate optometry student, Dr Nicola Logan gave us a small practical to do on vision in children. This sparked my interest and from then on, coupled with my personal experience of poor vision as a child, I wanted to learn all I could about children’s vision. This led me to follow a career in hospital optometry and specialise in children’s vision at my own independent practice.
Working in an independent practice, what words of advice would you give to other optometrists looking to practice in this setting?
If you want to make a difference, explore different techniques, different specialisms and build relationships with your patients, then independent practice is for you. You have the freedom to implement an ethos and a customer journey that delivers what you want it to deliver.
He showed me that I can achieve great things if I work hard, persevere and give it my all
The impact of COVID-19
How has your chosen inspirational person been affected by the pandemic?
To be honest I haven’t really asked that question, we usually have an email exchange maybe a few times a year. However, Dave has never really liked technology and a few months ago he got a mobile phone and downloaded WhatsApp, so I hope we will catch up more.
The pandemic has changed communication across the world. One positive I’ve taken from this is that now more than ever people are making the effort to send that message and make that phone call, as time is so precious.
How have you been affected by the pandemic?
I am a very social person so being in lockdown has been very hard, especially when my family live 90 miles away from me. Not being able to share my youngest child’s first birthday with loved ones last year was one of the hardest things.In terms of professional practice, it has been a double-edged sword. Although routine eye exams were suspended, I feel I have gained so much knowledge and developed new skills by working within a rapid access Minor Eye Condition Clinic. I have seen cases that I would only see in Kanski’s Clinical Ophthalmology, and for that I feel I am truly blessed as I feel I am making a difference to patients but also learning so much at the same time.
How have you managed or adapted in your practice since the pandemic started?
We had to hit the ground running like a speed train with new infection control procedures, locked door policies and staggered appointment times. Historically we ran collection, dispensing and eye exam clinics. This meant that managing patient flow in the practice was easier. However, the biggest hurdle is making patients aware of how important it is for them to keep up to date with their eye examinations. Unfortunately, some of the general public do not realise that we can look after their eye health, they think we just sell glasses. This is a shame because I have seen several patients who have suffered sight loss during lockdown.
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