Senior Optometrist Brian has provided specialist eye care to patients for over 15 years, taking his skills and expertise to a number of different clinics across Scotland and England. Involved in anything from telemedicine discussions to in-clinic consultations and post-operative check-ups, he enjoys the variety that an optometry role at Optical Express brings.
“Yesterday I was doing my calls and then I was asked to go downstairs to do a couple of post-operative appointments, which is great because that’s hands on again, which I still enjoy and still want to be part of. So I think the variety of roles is great,” he explains. Besides appreciating this mixture of responsibilities in his day-to-day work, Brian also values the level of collaboration and support within the clinic teams, allowing him to confidently seek advice or help from any of his colleagues: “That’s one of the big things, certainly in the clinics that I’m involved in, there are optometrists available to bounce ideas off of, or discuss patients if we want to go into a bit more detail.”
This support isn’t just readily available within the clinics, but also within the wider business as a whole. Optical Express has committed to helping all optometrists gain their Independent Prescribing qualification, for example, and continues to offer support and guidance over the course of their career. “They’ve got heavily involved in independent prescribing which I think is great, they’re obviously actively supporting optometrists through that, which is good in terms of funding et cetera,” he comments. “I’ve always through my time at Optical Express been pretty well supported. There tends to always be somebody there and at the end of the day, all you can do is ask and if you ask and communicate, that tends to stand you in good stead,” he continues.
Alongside this vast support network, Brian also sees the unique relocation opportunities available at Optical Express as a major benefit to working for the business. As Optical Express has the largest network of private clinics in the UK and Ireland, he has been able to take his expertise to a number of different locations across the country, which has helped him to develop both personally and professionally: “I’ve worked in a lot of clinics, in the main Scotland area through the Edinburgh and Glasgow clinics, but I’ve also been down south and have done a bit of Newcastle, Cambridge, and various other practices down there as well. So yeah, I’ve seen a good variety of clinics.”
Looking back on his career, which has already spanned over 15 years, what advice would Brian give to newly qualified optometrists? “They’ve got to build a bit of stability with their career initially, but certainly Optical Express gives them an opportunity to maybe move into other fields, not just the world of spectacles and contact lenses. Laser eye surgery, intraocular lenses, these are things that we’ll come across daily with all our patients, so the better knowledge you have on that, I think that can only benefit you as an optometrist, and Optical Express gives them that opportunity to see that field and gain experience and knowledge into it,” he concludes. Are you ready to take on a new challenge? From enjoying a varied working day to being able to benefit from unique relocation opportunities, you’ll find a career at Optical Express more satisfying than you ever imagined. View our latest vacancies now and develop your career with the UK’s leading refractive surgery provider.
