“There have been times where others have seen strengths in me that I was unable to see myself”

Once I entered practice, I realised just how unique it had been to experience that gender make-up within my education. Most of my senior colleagues in practice and industry leaders were male. In fact, from my pre-registration placement through to the role I am in today in practice, most of my employers have been male.

There were invisible consequences of this. The second practice I worked for, for example, had no maternity policy outside of statutory pay. It wasn’t that there was a lack of willingness to implement something, it was that it hadn’t been necessary previously. It was at a time I was considering a family and recall explaining clearly that for those reasons, this should be considered, and something needed to be in place before I started.

As the demographics of the profession have changed over the last two decades – it’s 20 years since more than half of registered optometrists were female (General Optical Council annual report data) – I’ve observed a growing number of women feature in high profile roles within optometry. For instance, many of our professional bodies now have women in key influential roles. This includes chair of the AOP, Emma Spofforth; CEO of the Local Optical Committee Support Unit, Janice Foster; chair of Primary Eyecare Services, Janet Paraskeva; Optometry Wales’ CEO and clinical adviser, Judy Mistra and Sharon Beatty; chair of Optometry Scotland, Eilidh Thomson, and chair of Optometry Northern Ireland, Jill Campbell. Furthermore, the diversity in the Local Optical Committee that I am part of has certainly improved too.

Having female leaders in these roles more accurately reflects the gender balance of the profession today. This increased visibility is important as it provides those coming into the profession and those early in their career with a model to aspire to. It demonstrates that these roles are open and can be achieved.

These changes represent the increasing number of women entering the profession. The evolution in demographics is something that is being mirrored across other STEM areas too – my husband works as an aerospace engineer and the gender balance in his workplace has changed completely during his career.

However, having supported my three children through secondary school and sixth form systems over the years, I know first-hand that there is still work to be done in supporting girls who express an interest in pursuing STEM subjects – particularly physics, computer science and further maths.

Personally, I still remember where I was sat in the classroom when I told my favourite teacher in one of my favourite subjects that I excelled in that I was considering becoming a pharmacist. His response was, ‘that will involve going to university, and you realise that you will have children later in life?’ As a 15-year-old, I was heartbroken. I also recall when I wanted to take sciences and maths in sixth form and being told it was too heavy on my timetable, only later to see less academically-able male students taking those subjects.

Fast-forward to supporting my youngest daughter as she prepared for her GCSE options, we asked a teacher if economics was an option and were told it was not offered in the all-girls school she attended because it was felt business studies would be more appropriate and less stretching in terms of maths for them.

I also think it’s important for schools to realise and recommend the breath of healthcare careers that are available, including optometry. If you are academically able, looking at medicine, dentistry and law is not enough. Optometry is also an option that should be spoken about. Informing the next generation and providing choice is key.

“I still remember where I was sat in the classroom when I told my favourite teacher in one of my favourite subjects that I excelled in that I was considering becoming a pharmacist. His response was ‘That will involve going to university, and you realise that you will have children later in life?’.”

As a mother of three children, balancing work and family life over the years, there are challenges that I experienced, and I am sure other women will experience, with the 'mental load' of caring.

After having my children, I chose to locum for the flexibility. It also allowed me to experience different practices, seeking out one that was the right fit for me before moving back to working as a resident optometrist. Reflecting on this time in my career when my children were growing up and I had responsibilities such as school drop off and pick-up, I was fortunate to have two very understanding employers who allowed me to work in a flexible way that limited the guilt that many women feel. Being close to their schools also certainly helped from a practical point.

Returning to work after a career break in optometry will be daunting for many. The progression of the profession is moving quickly now. It’s not just about the sight test and other clinical issues – there will be new systems and platforms to use, and a new piece of kit that’s appeared in the corner of the testing room since going on holiday; let alone maternity leave. While it’s good to feel challenged, it’s important that employers are making sure those retuning to work feel comfortable going back into this setting.

As I have progressed in my career and worked in a variety of roles inside and outside of the testing room – including AOP Council and Vision Care for Homeless People (VCHP) – I have, at times, experienced a real sense of ‘impostor syndrome,’ questioning if I was the most suitable or capable. There have been times where others have seen strengths in me that I was unable to see myself. I think it’s important that professionally we highlight and champion the fantastic skills of others, and share our contacts and experiences. Specific networking for women is an area as a profession where I think more could be done.

Optometry is a career where there is so much variety – this has grown extensively. When I graduated most of us moved into careers in independents, small groups or the hospital eye service. Now the number of different roles available is huge. In my last role for VCHP, I worked from home two days a week – something I would never have envisaged when I graduated. There are opportunities now to build a career that links to your personal strengths and interests, and undertaking more than one role is not uncommon.

Through my work with the AOP’s Peer Support Line, I often talk to young professionals about the different opportunities within the profession – they often do not realise the wealth of options out there. Knowing and understanding this from undergraduate study is important as it opens their mind to the possibilities.

“As a society, many people are managing increasingly busy lives. We have an ageing population and data shows that people are choosing to have children later in life. This means working adults are often managing caring responsibilities at both ends of the spectrum”

Challenges and changes

I’m very aware that as a society, many people are managing increasingly busy lives. We have an ageing population and data shows that people are choosing to have children later in life. This means working adults are often managing caring responsibilities at both ends of the spectrum. The availability of childcare, especially beyond early years and primary school education, when the provision can be patchier, is important to recognise. The ability for those working within optometry to find part-time work and combine multiple roles is key. The ability to undertake additional qualifications to extend our roles in practice, or run our own business if we aspire to, are all exciting opportunities.

Looking at how the profession will develop over the next 10–15 years, hopefully we will continue to see diversity in leaders who represent the current undergraduate courses. Supporting students and early career professionals to undertake leadership roles is fantastic for their career development and important for the future of our profession.

Today I continue to be inspired by the strong, cohort of optometrists who I graduated with. This cohort was largely female and when I look to them today, we are covering the breadth of possibility and modes of practice available through optometry. We have all built up an amazing range of experiences, businesses and careers in optometry. Some are in practice ownership, some in the hospital, some in academia. They are still my first port of call for questions.

My advice to early career optometrists and those coming into the profession today is to think about what you would like and then seek out opportunities. There are so many opportunities out there – it’s about finding what the good fit is for you. If you can’t find the perfect job, remember it doesn’t have to be five days a week in a single place. Embrace change and challenge – you never know where it will lead.