Ali Yasen: “I’ve had a brilliant time”

OT speaks to outgoing AOP Councillor representing newly-qualified and early career optometrists, Ali Yasen, about his time on Council as the role opens for new applications

Laurence Derbyshire

Emily McCormick

14 March 2025

Optometrist Ali Yasen’s journey with the AOP Council began eight years ago when as an optometry student in his third year at City, University of London, he applied to represent optometry undergraduates on AOP Council.

In the proceeding years, Yasen has been an appointed AOP Councillor representing pre-registration optometrists, and most recently newly-qualified/early career optometrists.

Yasen labels his experience as “terrific.”

“After eight years, it’s the end of an era for me. I’m sad to be leaving Council, but I’ve had a brilliant time, I’ve met some brilliant people and learnt so much,” Yasen told OT.

Discussing why he initially put himself forward for AOP Council, the optometrist shared: “I was at a time in my life personally where I was undertaking my second degree, and I had been around the block in terms of adjusting to university life. I wanted to take a more active role in the industry I was planning on entering.”

Yasen admits to feeling a level of trepidation preparing for his first Council meeting. “I was just a little student,” he recalled.

However, he need not have worried. “Everyone I met at that first Council meeting, as well as those who I have met at every meeting since, have been genuinely nice people. My nerves melted away very quickly,” he said.

“I’ve made friendships that stand outside of my role as a Councillor and I’ve learned so much,” he added.

I wanted to take a more active role in the industry I was planning on entering

Being on Council

Yasen describes the role of AOP Councillors as a “sounding board that allows practitioners from all over the country, from all different walks of life, and all at different points in their career journeys, to share their experiences and help inform the AOP.”

He spoke about both the enjoyment and importance he has felt as an AOP Councillor when representing the views of different practitioner cohorts. It is a part of the role that Yasen takes seriously – he ensures regular communication with his peers, and sometimes polls them to ensure that the views he shares with Council are representative.

Yasen emphasised that everyone on AOP Council is there voluntarily – “they have chosen to represent the profession because they are very passionate about optometry,” he said.

Asked about his most memorable moment on AOP Council, Yasen returns to his first Council meeting. “I was a little student and really didn’t know what to expect. In my mind I was going into this room full of bigwigs and I did find it a little daunting. This quickly dissipated when I experienced how welcoming and nice everyone was – that really struck me. It’s an ethos that, in my experience, runs not just through Council but also the wider AOP.”

Reflecting on his time on AOP Council, Yasen has felt his voice has been listened to throughout.

“I have always been really impressed by how Council has responded to my views, especially when I joined as a student and subsequently as a pre-registration optometrist,” he said.

I have always been really impressed by how Council has responded to my views

He also emphasised the importance of the early career and pre-qualified voices on Council. “It’s so important, especially for those early cohorts, to share their voices – ultimately they will be shaping the industry that they’re evolving within.”

Yasen expressed that regardless of current role or career journey, all practitioners will learn and develop through a role on AOP Council.

“When there are large changes going on within the industry, such as the education strategic review or the possible implementation of an apprenticeship, it’s important to be involved and be able to have a say,” he added.

He said: “It has been a real privilege to have the ability to actually help enact some professional change.”

Yasen emphasised: “With all the goodwill in the world, qualified optometrists who’ve been in the industry for a while are not going to necessarily have the ability to imagine or have an awareness of the lived experiences of the optometry students of today, which is why the voices of students and pre-regs are really important.”