The Dr Peter Hampson episode

Optometrist Dr Peter Hampson made his way into optometry via dispensing optics. It was a thirst for education, combined with a quest for personal and professional development, that saw him progress through optics career opportunities, first qualifying as an optometrist, and later completing his Doctorate in optometry.

Peter has been a familiar face at the AOP since 2012, first as a Councillor, then as a Board member. He officially joined the roll call in 2017 and today is director of policy and clinical at the AOP.

Here are four things we learned about Peter when recording The OT Podcast.

1 He grew up in practice

Peter is a third-generation optometrist and shares that his grandfather was the first in the family to enter the profession, qualifying in 1930 – almost 100 years ago. He recalls that “training back then was quite different,” with his grandfather becoming an optometrist through an apprenticeship route. “He used to cycle back and forth between Coventry and West Bromwich every day,” Peter said.

Peter also remembers two of his uncles being optometrists, while his mother was a dispensing optician. With the family owning three practices, he “grew up all around it,” he said.

The practice that Peter and his optometrist wife own today is the same one his parents established in 1986. “I was five or six when my parents set up the practice, and I remember sitting on a dusty shop floor when it was still just a shell being fitted out and the consulting room being built,” he recalled. “I’d be given a can of coke and fish and chips to keep me quiet while I sat on the floor.”

2 Optometry felt like home

Having grown up within the profession, “optometry felt natural, like a home place,” Peter shared.

“No one steered me into it or away from it,” he added.

Although Peter chose optometry of his own accord, he admits that as a self-described “lazy” teenager, he did not achieve the grades needed to enter the course. As a result, he relocated to Bradford – “away from home” – to complete his dispensing optician qualification.

After qualifying, Peter still felt a strong desire to progress into optometry. He worked evenings and weekends as a dispensing optician while studying to become an optometrist, determined to take the next step in his professional journey.

3 A thirst for knowledge

After a few years in practice, Peter began to consider what he should do next. Continuing to advance his knowledge felt like the natural step, as he recalls questioning himself:“I can’t know everything I need to know now – there must be more to learn and a way to be better and advance my knowledge.”

Coinciding with Peter’s growing thirst for learning, Aston University had recently launched a doctorate in optometry. Once again, Peter found himself back at university, balancing his studies with life in practice.

“I wanted to know a bit more; I wanted to learn a bit more,” he said.

When asked why he chose to pursue the doctorate, he explained:“It seemed like a nice and logical way to gain a substantial amount of additional knowledge that would be really useful – and hopefully make me a better practitioner.”

4 Inside the AOP

Peter joined the AOP in 2012, initially as a Councillor and later as a board member. He was appointed clinical director in 2017, and today is clinical and policy director.

Speaking about his role at the AOP, Peter acknowledges that in recent years it has evolved from one that was primarily clinical and regulatory in focus into something far more policy-driven. Through this policy focus, Peter explained that he is able to explore what the future of the profession may look like – something he describes as both interesting and stimulating.

The Dr Peter Hampson episode

OT will release a new episode of The OT Podcast bimonthly. You can listen to The OT Podcast on our website, or via all the main podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Castbox. Be sure to catch-up and listen to other episodes, featuring experts including Imran Hakim, Ian Cameron, Dame Mary Perkins, and Professor Nicola Logan.

Remember to subscribe to The OT Podcast to ensure you never miss an episode