“The joy of working within the hospital is the people”

Can you describe working as a hospital optometrist in one sentence?

Dynamic, challenging, and definitely not boring.

How long have you worked as a hospital optometrist?

I’ve worked as a hospital optometrist for 16 years now. I was lucky enough to undertake my pre-reg at Moorfields, and start my career from the beginning within the hospital.

When and why did you decide to become a hospital optometrist?

It was a friend of mine at university who suggested I apply for a hospital pre-registration placement. I didn’t consider it before that, as I knew the spaces were limited and didn’t think I’d stand a chance at getting one.

Fortunately, I gave it a go and was successful. That decision to apply shaped the rest of my career, and all the experiences I have gained along the way. I owe it all to that one friend who convinced me to apply. As luck would have it, she also got a hospital pre-reg placement in a different part of the country, so it worked out well for both of us.

Do you do any other work or volunteering alongside hospital optometry?

I work full time at Moorfields Eye Hospital, but also locum in an independent practice once a month. I carry out some ad-hoc school screening work and have clinics with one of my refractive surgeon colleagues.

“When we work in the hospital, there are moments every day that make what we do feel valuable and appreciated”

What is the biggest challenge facing hospital optometry currently and why? How can this be resolved?

I think the biggest challenge at the moment is the uncertainty we face. The changes to the optometry degree and clinical placements, and what this means for hospital optometry, is still up in the air. The Scheme for Registration allowed us to train and retain hospital optometrists every year. However, the changes outlined will make this much more difficult.

There is also uncertainty with the Government’s recent 10-Year Health Plan and the impact this will have on hospital optometry and what we will provide. There are different models of care in Scotland and Wales, and it will be interesting to see if the plan for England will be similar to this.

On a more clinical note, the more immediate challenge we face is an increasing demand for services for chronic eye conditions, leading to increased patient numbers in clinics. There is an increasing need for a highly skilled workforce to tackle this, and I believe optometrists are in an opportune position to make an impact.

What is hospital optometry’s biggest success in the past three years and why?

I feel there has been more interest in working in the hospital, which has been great to see. The roles for hospital optometrists have been evolving and the advent of more asynchronous pathways allowing optometrists to undertake virtual reviews has allowed job roles to be more varied.

We also have more optometrists performing advanced clinical techniques such as SLTs and YAG capsulotomies, and being at the forefront of delivering these in optometrist-led clinics, underpinned by formalised training and education.

It has been exciting to see optometrists take on other roles outside of clinical work, such as taking on leadership roles, performing award-winning research, being involved in designing advanced practice training programmes and single point of access pathways, and within the department of digital medicine and formalised education. It really does highlight the breadth of work which is available working in the hospital as an optometrist.

What is your biggest success in the past three years and why?

In my previous role, I put a lot of work into trying to develop shared care pathways. This is now gaining some traction, which is exciting to see. I have recently taken on the role of deputy head of optometry. Looking back at the trajectory of my career, from being a pre-registration optometrist all those years ago, I would never have guessed I’d be here now. The support I have received along the way to get to this point has just been incredible, and I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to make a positive impact in this role.

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What is the most surprising case you have seen in the hospital setting?

I have been fortunate enough to have worked in a range of clinics over the years and seen some pretty interesting cases, including children with rare genetic conditions and syndromes, patients with autoimmune conditions such as mucous membrane pemphigoid, those with anophthalmia or who have had eviscerations, and patients who have had revolutionary eye surgeries such as Boston K-Pro and corneal allogenic intrastomal ring segments (CAIRS), to name a few.

Despite all the different cases we encounter on a daily basis, the thing that never ceases to amaze me is how patients deal with their eye conditions and learn to adapt to some difficult conditions. It’s humbling and really puts things into perspective.

“I look forward to a time where we can have seamless integration between primary and secondary care – this would be a gamer changer for us all”

What would you say to optometrists working on the High Street about working in a hospital environment?

I have the utmost respect for optometrists working in practice, being the first port of call for patients and using clinical judgement, often under time constraints.

I would say working as a hospital optometrist and optometrist on the High Street are two very different experiences, but I think there is value to be had in having experience in both. I look forward to a time where we can have seamless integration between primary and secondary care – this would be a gamer changer for us all.

What do you enjoy most about being a hospital optometrist?

Part of the joy of working within the hospital is the people we get to work with, and the experience gained whilst learning from multidisciplinary teams. I’ve worked with some amazing people from all over the world who have come to train in the hospital, some of whom have gone on to be experts in their field, but at the end of the day we all have the same joint aim – to do the best we can for the patients.