16 September 2025
More than 2000 optometrists, dispensing opticians and audiologists converged on the Birmingham International Convention Centre on Sunday (14 September) for the annual Specsavers Professional Advancement Conference (PAC).
A range of peer reviews, presentations and hands-on workshops were on offer at the event, exploring topics from myopia management and dry eye, to presbyopia and glaucoma referrals. OT presents a selection of takeaways from the event.
1 All Specsavers optometrists can now access funding for IP training
In his opening presentation, Specsavers clinical services director, Giles Edmonds, confirmed that higher qualification funding within Specsavers now extends to independent prescribing (IP) across the UK and Ireland.
He shared that prescribing has become a part of routine practice in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, adding that FP10 pads are now in use within 200 Specsavers practices across England.
“We are here to help both financially and from a practical point of view,” Edmonds shared.
“All higher qualifications are not just incredible in terms of taking your clinical decision making to the next level, they are fundamental to our strategy to offer more eye care services in primary care,” he emphasised.
2 Optical professionals recognised for clinical excellence and customer care
Optical professionals from across the UK and Ireland received recognition through Specsavers’ annual award ceremony.
More than 150 nominations were received across the three award categories: the Dame Mary Perkins Award for Excellence in Customer Care, the Doug Perkins Award for Clinical Excellence, and the Judy Lea Award for Early Career Excellence.
Speaking during the presentation, Specsavers co-founder, Doug Perkins, highlighted that the awards act as a celebration of the people within the business.
“I feel that the revolution that we started 40 years ago is moving forwards as never before,” he said.
Dame Mary Perkins explained that the original idea behind the joint venture partnership model within Specsavers was to provide optical professionals with the flexibility to decide what care a patient needed.
“Each store was like a little family and they could welcome customers in and look after them as though they were family,” she said.
“I think what you are doing inside practices is absolutely incredible. The letters and reports that I get from people who have come through our practices is amazing,” Dame Mary highlighted.
Introducing the Judy Lea Award for Early Career Excellence, Edmonds paid tribute to the award’s namesake.
Lea, who was the head of optometry development at Specsavers, died in a road accident in March 2025.
Edmonds described Lea as a “passionate educator and mentor” whose influence shaped the careers of many optometrists.
“Her legacy lives on through the thousands of professionals she supported, many of whom now deliver exceptional care across the UK and beyond,” he said.
Lea’s son, Sam Lea, who is also an optometrist, was part of the judging panel for the award.
“The last six months has been really difficult for my family, but the love and support that people have shown us has made a real difference,” he said.
“When I was told that Specsavers were going to honour Judy with this award, that was really nice to hear because she was so passionate about the newly qualified workforce,” Lea shared.
The last six months has been really difficult for my family, but the love and support that people have shown us has made a real difference
3 Optometrists encouraged to interrogate AI in the same way they would other emerging treatment options
During the future-gazing presentation, The Spec-pocalypse, The College of Optometrists’ clinical adviser, Daniel Hardiman-McCartney, highlighted the importance of optometrists questioning artificial intelligence (AI) technology in the same way they would other emerging therapies.
“I am mesmerised by AI – I think it will transform practice. However, we need to be able to sort the hype from the substance. We need to become AI literate,” he emphasised.
Hardiman-McCartney shared that there are already more than 30 products incorporating AI that have a wide range of applications within eye care.
“You need to know how to assess the evidence behind them in the same way you would for a new eye drop or new therapy,” he said.
4 Differentiating between microbial keratitis and a corneal infiltrative event
In his presentation, Confidence in contact lens complications, optometrist, David Jameson, provided tips on differentiating between microbial keratitis and a corneal infiltrative event.
Jameson highlighted that a daily soft contact lens wearer who presents to practice with an irritated eye is 75 times more likely to be experiencing a corneal infiltrative event than microbial keratitis.
An extended soft contact lens wearer is still 21 times more likely to be experiencing a corneal infiltrative event than microbial keratitis.
“The chances of microbial keratitis happening are actually pretty rare,” he said.
Jameson outlined a range of factors that may suggest a higher risk of microbial keratitis, including more severe pain, anterior chamber activity, mucopurulent discharge and a centrally located epithelial defect.
5 What do the Scheme for Registration and a half-marathon have in common?
Optometrist and deputy lead assessor for the College of Optometrists, Ruth Bennett, drew from her experience as a half-marathon runner as part of her presentation in Thriving, not just surviving: a lens on trainee mental wellbeing.
Her tips follow a survey led by Specsavers head of professional development, Neil Retallic, which found that 48% of pre-registration optometrists screened positive for depression and 53% screened positive for anxiety.
Bennett shared her personal journey from growing up in a family where no one ran and being picked last for school sports teams, to completing 13 half marathons.
“No one is more surprised than me,” she said.
Bennett shared that trainee optometrists will go through periods where the challenge ahead of them seems insurmountable.
However, as with a good half-marathon training programme, the secret is to break the journey down into achievable steps and take rest days.
“If you look at the whole Scheme for Registration you can feel overwhelmed,” she said.
Paying attention to nutrition and sleep, as well as receiving encouragement from family and friends can also help trainee optometrists on their journey.
“There will probably be periods where you feel like you can’t finish, but if you take one step after another, you will realise that you can,” Bennett highlighted.
Landmark research exploring the mental health of UK optometrists published
The study outlined factors that can protect optometrists from mental health challenges
6 How to make optometry practices kinder for people with dementia
In her presentation, dispensing optician, Elaine Grisdale, presented a range of practical steps that optical practice staff can take to support people with dementia.
She encouraged eye care professionals to think twice before turning away someone with dementia who has presented at the wrong time or day for their appointment.
“Coming into town for an appointment can cause a lot of anxiety. They may have been preparing for hours to get to you,” Grisdale said.
“Please don’t turn them away – it’s not the kind thing to do,” she said.
Grisdale, whose late mother had dementia, encouraged delegates to talk with their normal pace and volume, addressing the person who is receiving care.
She highlighted that adapting the frame selection process to avoid overwhelming the patient with choice can be helpful.
As a modifiable risk factor for dementia, Grisdale emphasised the key role that correcting vision plays in supporting people who live with the condition.
“We are aiming to keep people independent for longer with a better quality of life,” she highlighted.
NICE guidance recommends people with dementia have regular sight tests
The updated guidance encourages people living with dementia to have a sight test soon after diagnosis
Comments (0)
You must be logged in to join the discussion. Log in