Maui Jim at Matheson Optometrists

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SPOTTED: BEYONCE WEARING JANIS!

Beyonce wearing Mykita Janis frame

Matheson Optometrists now stock Mykita. 

High fashion and incredible quality.

Find out why these frames are so good at  www.mykita-frames.co.uk

Children uncover eye exam ignorance

New research has reported that 54% of children aged between 11 and 15 years are unaware of the recommended bi-annual eye check-up. 

 

The survey, which was commissioned by frames company Brulimar, found that 68% of none spectacle-wearing respondents were not aware they should have an eye test every two years, with a further 44% having never had their eyes tested at all. 

 

Managing director of Brulimar, Howard Librae, said: “Parents and carers are neglecting their children’s eye health if they don’t take them for regular optometrist checks every two years. As an industry with eye health as itsraison d’etre, we should be calling on the relevant bodies to properly promote children’s eye health, especially the importance of the bi-annual eye test, among parents and schools.” 

 

As part of the survey, 10 children were recruited to go undercover at school wearing clear-lens Bench frames. They recorded their thoughts on wearing frames, and questioned their classmates, teachers and other adults about glasses and eye health. 

 

More positively, the results showed a ‘significant’ shift in young people’s attitudes towards wearing glasses, with many ‘ Eye Spies’ reporting increased confidence after wearing the frames for five days. 

 

Mr Librae added: “Our industry is to be applauded for creating frames that young people genuinely like wearing. We’ve come a long way from the dreaded children’s eyewear of 25 years ago. It’s easy for grown-ups to forget what it’s like to wear glasses for the first time, and in the Eye Spies survey we wanted to look at any barriers so we could better address them.”

Macular disease app to improve reading

Scientists from Royal Holloway University are launching a new iPad app to help people with macular disease.

 

The MD_evReader is designed to enhance the eccentric viewing technique for reading eBooks. Text is presented into the reader’s best point of eccentric vision and helps them to maintain a ‘steady eye’. 

 

Chief executive of the Macular Society, Helen Jackman, said: “This app represents an excellent opportunity to help people affected by macular disease to read more easily.”

Vision Express Given 3 Year Warning

Vision Express has been give a three-year warning in a disciplinary hearing involving seven cases of dispensing opticians who were not registered or who were registered as students and one of an unsupervised student optometrist.

Last week's fitness to practise case saw VE admit to the eight allegations in a case sparked by an anonymous complaint to the GOC on July 15 2010 about the status of Mehmood Jagani who had been working as a DO while not GOC registered. When this was followed up by the GOC, VE responded on March 15 2011 to this query and provided details of six other employees it had found to have practised beyond their registration or practised as a professional when they were not registered with the GOC. The letter also detailed a separate investigation into a VE employee Savina Patel who, as a student optometerist, was alleged to have carried out unsupervised sight tests.

VE investigated Jagani, who worked from September 23 2009 and October 29 2009 as a DO without a written contract. He was given the role of a retail associate when it was identified that he did not have a GOC number. VE stated that he did not fit contact lenses during his employment, but he dispensed optical appliances to patients aged under 16 and it is possible he dispensed optical appliances to blind or partially sighted patients when he was not under supervision as he was believed to be a GOC-registered DO. He was dismissed on the grounds of gross misconduct by VE after a disciplinary hearing on September 22 2010.

The company added that a broader investigation identified three areas that required immediate improvement - lack of appropriate checks, a lack of knowledge at management level of regulatory requirements and reliance on the probity of individual staff members. It said it was taking steps on a nationwide scale to remedy any weaknesses in its systems.

In carrying out its review it found six other staff members (Anna Sergeant, Mark Heinz, Akshay Patel, Deena Ataie, Mohammed Sheikh and Sarah Ferrer) who had been using the DO title when unregistered or registered as student DOs, and that thorough investigations and formal disciplinary action had or would be taken.

The committee concluded that the admitted facts amounted to a serious breach of the statutory and regulatory responsibilities for business registrants. 'It is a fundamental requirement for any registered corporate body seeking to provide optical services that they employ qualified staff in accordance with the Opticians Act 1989 (as amended) and that they are also registered with the appropriate regulatory body Vision Express, by its own admission, failed to meet the statutory and regulatory responsibilities in eight branches of its nationwide network. As Mr Bradly submitted on behalf of the Council, the requirement to monitor compliance is both a fundamental one and is basic in the sense that it should be achievable without difficulty.'

Finding VE guilty of misconduct, the committee noted that it had been open and honest with the GOC, that the admitted facts were largely based on VE's own investigation and it had put in place various remedial steps to minimise the risk of regulatory breaches. It had a new policy on sale and supply of spectacles with a signature sheet for each member of staff and a professional services policy had been created for use in stores. It was also trialling a PIN scheme for restricted dispensing and a tag scheme attached to frames used in restricted dispensing that could only be removed by a registrant.

The committee added that it had borne in mind the failures identified in the main took place in 2010 or earlier. While it said the concerns raised by the case did not reach the threshold for impairment, the committee believed they were sufficiently serious to require a formal response and concluded that a warning was appropriate, while noting VE had shown insight into its failings.

'There have been eight admitted incidents out of a nationwide network involving 386 stores and some 4,500 employees. There has also been a genuine expression of apology and there has been no repetition of the behaviour complained of since.'

It added that appropriate steps had been taken and the three-year warning was to ensure that VE remained focused on the undertakings it had given.

Commissioning guidance welcomed

The chair of the National Association of Primary Care and NHS Clinical Commissioners, Dr Charles Alessi, has welcomed new guidance for eye care commissioners which has been published by the College of Optometrists and the Royal College of Ophthalmologists. 

 

Authored by leading eye care clinicians, the guidance released last week (February 14) focuses on glaucoma-related services and aims to provide valuable support to those designing and delivering eye care across the UK.

 

Over the coming months, the College’s will publish a range of recommendations on improving services for age-related macular degeneration, cataract, diabetic retinopathy, low vision, oculoplastics and urgent eye care. 

 

Dr Alessi said: “These new recommendations should be the first port of call for clinical commissioners who want to make the most of the great opportunities to improve eye care across the country. The NHS spends over £2bn on eye care in England alone, and this practical guidance brings together the most up-to-date evidence and insight about how to organise services as effectively and efficiently as we can.”

 

The guidance was developed with support from a range of clinical commissioners at the National Association of Primary Care, Royal College of General Practitioners and the Department of Health’s Right Care Team. 

 

Chair of the College of Optometrists, Cindy Tromans, added: “People with eye conditions need a range of services in hospitals and in the community. It is impossible to integrate that care unless all the professions involved in delivering it work together.

 

“Working so closely with ophthalmologists, GPs and commissioners on this guidance was extremely rewarding and I would urge our colleagues to do the same at local level to see how our advice can help them improve eye care for their patients.”

The world’s first ‘bionic eye’

The world’s first ‘bionic eye’, which could help people regain their sight, has been approved for use in America by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

 

Created by Second Sight Medical Products, the retinal prostheses company has been developing the Argus II device for more than 20 years. 

 

Designed to treat patients with late stage retinitis pigmentosa (RP), the announcement follows a unanimous recommendation by the FDA’s Ophthalmic Devices Advisory Panel in September 2012. The device was approved for use across Europe in 2011. 

 

President and CEO of Second Sight, Robert Greenberg, said: “We are thrilled to be able to offer the only FDA-approved long-term therapy for people suffering from advanced RP.

 

“With this approval, we look forward to building a strong surgical network in the USA and recruiting new hospitals that will offer the Argus II retinal implant. This is a game-changer in sight-affecting diseases, that represents a huge step forward for the field and for these patients who were without any available treatment options until now.”

 

The device uses a camera and video processor mounted onto sunglasses to send captured images wirelessly to a tiny receiver on the outside of the eye. Once these electrodes are stimulated, messages are sent along the optic nerve to the brain.

 

Stephen Rose, chief research officer at Foundation Fighting Blindness, added: “This is an exciting time for people who are blind from RP. Second Sight’s prosthetic retinal device brings meaningful hope to tens of thousands of people with advanced retinal diseases. The Argus II has the potential to provide life-changing vision capabilities, as well as increased mobility and independence.”

Victorian researchers trial revolutionary new eye treatment

A revolutionary new laser treatment for one of the leading causes of blindness is showing promise in a trial being conducted at the Melbourne-based Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA), funded by the State Government of Victoria, Australia.

Professor Robyn Guymer with an eye chart.

The trial into dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is leading the world in treatment for the debilitating disease, which is the main cause of vision loss in Australia. AMD is a progressive disease affecting the central area of the retina called the macula. Half a million Australians – 15 percent of people over 50 – live with the early stages of the disease, which is estimated to cost the community more than AU$2.6 billion annually. The trial, involving 50 patients, is being conducted by CERA and the University of Melbourne in partnership with Ellex. It is being carried out at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, with further research contributed to by Dr Erica Fletcher and Professor Algis Vingrys from the University of Melbourne. Head of Macular Research at CERA, Professor Robyn Guymer, said Retina Regeneration Therapy (Ellex 2RT™), unlike existing AMD treatments, targets the disease in its early stages before sight is lost. “What has been quite unexpected in the trials so far is that the treatment is arresting progression not only in the treated eye but, intriguingly, in the other eye as well,” Prof. Guymer said. Prof. Guymer said the treatment involves a novel laser device, an Australian designed and manufactured laser by Ellex R&D Pty Ltd, which is specially designed to deliver a controlled nanosecond dose of laser energy into the eye. “These initial results suggest Retinal Regeneration Therapy eliminates the yellow deposits known as ‘drusen,’ which are present in the retinal tissue of people with age-related macular degeneration,” she said. “Disappearance of the drusen hopefully reflects a slowing or reversal of the degenerative processes that lead to the disease.” Victorian Innovation Minister Gavin Jennings said that the results so far were extremely exciting. "The treatment is working consistently and, given the positive results to date, it is likely people around the world will be keen to use the treatment – the only treatment available to slow the disease,” he said. “By helping fund trials such as the world-first retina regeneration therapy, the State Government of Victoria, Australia is taking action to improve the health of millions of people,” Mr. Jennings said. “Victoria is home to some of the world’s leading scientists and scientific facilities, and we are committed to supporting this innovative industry that not only improves the quality of lives for Victorians but also creates jobs.” The State Government of Victoria, Australia provided AU$540,000 through the AU$41 million Victoria’s Science Agenda Investment Fund for CERA to conduct the trial. The announcement coincides with BIO2010 in Chicago, the world's largest biotechnology convention, where the Governor of Victoria Professor David de Kretser, AC is leading a Victorian consortium of investors and biotechnology companies.

Lenses found to 'cure colour-blindness'

Scientists say they have invented spectacle lenses that cure red-green colour blindness, which affects some women and one in every 10 men.

The Oxy-Iso lenses were designed by an American research institute to allow medics to spot bruising and veins that are difficult to see.

Tests suggest they can help to enhance reds and greens in the colour-blind.

But they could not be worn by drivers, because they reduce the ability to perceive yellows and blues.

Theoretical neurobiologist Mark Changizi, who developed the glasses with Oxy-Iso lenses, believes human colour vision "evolved above and beyond that found in other mammals... allowing us to sense colour-signals on the skin, including blushes, blanches, as well as sensing health".

"So the Oxy-Iso filter concentrates its enhancement exactly where red-green colour-blind folk are deficient," he said.

Daniel Bor, a colour-blind neuroscientist at the Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science at the University of Sussex, said they made red colours appear very vibrant.

But he had some reservations, because they also made yellow light invisible.

"My daughter's baby monitor has some yellow lights on it and I couldn't see them at all," he said.

Getting the eyeball rolling

Last weekend staff from the Royal Eye Infirmary in Plymouth marked their move to new facilities at Derriford Hospital by pushing a giant inflatable eyeball between the two locations.

 

Wearing T-shirts which read ‘Let’s get the RE(eyeball) rolling,’ staff carried the giant white and blue eyeball, which was sourced from America, over three miles before being greeted by the chief executive of Plymouth Hospitals NHS, Ann James.

 

Steve Slater, medical and ophthalmic photographer at the Royal Eye Infirmary, was involved in organising the event. “It’s important to mark the move,” he said. “It’s a big change for everybody and it’s nice to mark the transition from here to our new home.”

 

He added: “Initially we thought about a bed push and then it was suggested to roll eyeballs along the route and eventually we settled on the idea of a giant eyeball, which was more difficulat to find than a beach ball. Eventually I sourced one from America.”

 

The new Royal Eye Infirmary at Derriford Hospital is now fully operational.

Contact lens fungus case

Practitioners may have read with interest a story in the national press about a woman who claims that a contact lens fungus “ate away her eye.”

Jacqueline Stone, from Rayne in Essex, spent 17 weeks in hospital after wearing Focus Dailies All Day Comfort lenses. She was diagnosed with an infection caused by Fusarium, a fungus which can cause severe infection if it comes into contact with the eye, and after 22 operations, surgeons were forced to remove her eye.

In response to the story, the BCLA is urging contact lens wearers to always buy their contact lenses under the supervision of a registered practitioner and in person. 

 

BCLA president, Dr Catharine Chisholm, said: “Contact lens wearers who buy lenses from sources other than their eye care practitioner have been shown to be less likely to follow good eye care health practices, including being less likely to attend regular aftercare check-ups.

 

“Thankfully it is extremely rare for someone to develop an eye infection as a result of contact lens wear – and even less common for this to result in a loss of vision or the eye itself,” she added. “However, infections of the cornea can be very serious and are most commonly associated with patients not following the precise instructions for lens care and wear given to them by their eye care practitioner.” 

 

Ms Stone bought the lenses from online retailer Lenstore.co.uk. Some of the press reports stated that Lenstore.co.uk is owned by Alcon. However, Alcon has reiterated that it does not own Lenstore.co.uk or any other online retailer, and the reporter has corrected this information in the story.

 

Speaking to OT, a spokesperson for Alcon said: “Alcon is aware of the press coverage about an allegation made by a UK consumer that she experienced health-related complications from an eye infection. Based on the investigation conducted by Alcon so far, there is no direct connection between the contact lens and the consumer’s unfortunate experience.”

 

Before being diagnosed with the fungal infection, Ms Stone had visited Broomfield Hospital in Essex and Moorfields Eye Hospital in London. Specialists at both hospitals prescribed her eye drops, but did not discover the infection.

 

Commenting on the case, a spokesperson for Moorfields told OT: "Moorfields is sorry to hear Ms Stone’s sad story and offers her our sympathy at this difficult time. We take any allegations about the care received by our patients very seriously and undertake thorough investigations to identify any necessary improvements.  

 

“An initial review of Ms Stone’s case suggests that she received appropriate care during her short time at Moorfields, but we are now conducting a more detailed formal internal investigation and will keep Ms Stone informed and involved as this progresses.”

 

Geoff Roberson, professional adviser for the AOP, added: “Recent stories in the media may give the public cause for concern when using contact lenses. I would urge members to remind their patients that it is extremely rare for someone to develop an eye infection as a result of contact lens wear, however the importance of good eye health cannot be underestimated and public information about contact lens use can be found on the BCLA website, www.bcla.org.uk.”

 

Despite claims that Ms Stone is suing both Alcon and Moorfields, spokespersons from the company and hospital have confirmed that no legal claim has been commenced to date.

Joining forces to improve eye patient care

The International Glaucoma Association (IGA) and the Macular Society have announced a collaboration which aims to ensure patients get good quality information about their eye condition.

 

The two charities will be working together from this month and a dedicated team will travel across the UK visiting hospital eye clinics, providing access to free patient literature and delivering presentations to staff on both glaucoma and macular disease.

 

Chief executive of the IGA, David Wright, said: “This collaboration has allowed us to extend our services right across England, Scotland and Wales, so patients across all three countries will benefit. 

 

“We are both patient-based charities providing much-needed information, advice and support, so it is crucial that eye health professionals and patients are aware of the resources the IGA and the Macular Society offer. 

 

“We are all working in a challenging economic climate, but by coming together, we can continue to reach and help new patients and work with professionals to improve patient care.” 

 

Chief executive of the Macular Society, Helen Jackman (pictured), added: “We are delighted to be working with the IGA. We share the same aims – to make sure patients have access to good quality information about their condition and that they, and health staff, know about the support services we, and other organisations, offer. This collaboration will make it possible for us to reach more patients.”  

 

Glaucoma and macular degeneration are two of the biggest causes of sight loss in the UK. Half of all people registered with sight loss have age-related macular degeneration which mainly affects people over 65. 

College report calls for standardised optical data collection

A report published by the College of Optometrists is calling for a more efficient collection of good quality data relating to patients’ eye health, in a bid to improve local eye health services and reduce costs and delays. 

 

Released on Monday (February 4), the report highlights how improving data collection can lead to better communication between practices, GPs, hospitals and local authorities. It follow’s Health Minister Jeremy Hunt’s recent call for a move towards a ‘paperless NHS’ by 2015. 

 

David Parkins, vice president for the College of Optometrists and chair of the data project steering group, said: “Optometrists examine the eyes not only to detect defects in vision, but also to identify signs of injury, ocular diseases or abnormality and problems with general health, such as diabetes. The report emphasises that by taking responsibility for recording all this information and sharing data, optometrists will have the tools necessary to convince commissioners that commissioning from optometrists is good value for money.”  

 

An estimated one million patients are currently referred by optometrists to their GP or hospital eye care service annually. However, a paper-based system is primarily used for referral, despite postal delays and a problem with the quality of images from retinal cameras or ocular coherence tomography occurring. 

 

The report recommends that standardised electronic and digital systems are needed to bring consistency to data capture and measurement. 

 

Mr Parkins added: “Good quality information is central to providing good quality, patient-centred eye care. Having more detailed information at your fingertips will help health professionals to better meet the eye health needs of local communities, and ultimately save time and resources.

 

“An improved electronic system for referrals would reduce the cost burden of eye care to the NHS, helping to eliminate unnecessary referral appointments in addition to duplicated tests. The technology is available to enable this, but the will from Government to integrate patient pathways in eye care fully is needed to implement this effectively.”

 

The ‘Better data, better care: ophthalmic public health data report 2013’ can be viewed atwww.college-optometrists.org/public-affairs 

Moorfields trial focuses on eye drops as treatment option for diabetic retinopathy

Moorfields has confirmed it will participate in a clinical trial which aims to evaluate a new therapeutic treatment using eye drops to treat patients in the early stages of diabetic retinopathy.

The hospital will be one of 11 centres across Europe taking part in the trial under the umbrella EUROCONDOR, the European Consortium on the early treatment of diabetic retinopathy.

The study will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a new therapeutic eye drop treatment based on two neuroprotective drugs, somatostatin and brimonidine. Researchers will recruit 41 patients for the trial, with screening scheduled to begin at the end of the month.

Consultant ophthalmologist Cathy Egan, who will be leading the trial at Moorfields, said: “Small blood vessel damage has been the primary focus of investigation and therapy in this disorder for some time, but there has been a longstanding interest in the neurodegenerative aspects of diabetic retinopathy and whether you can modify this.”

As a result of growing evidence which suggests that retinal neurodegeneration plays an role in the onset of the condition, EUROCONDOR will conduct controlled phase II and phase III studies to assess whether therapeutic strategies based on neuroprotection are effective not only in preventing or arresting retinal neurodegeneration, but also in stopping the development and progression of the early stages of diabetic retinopathy.

Ms Egan added: “The trial is an important step in the development of a new, non-invasive treatment for this devastating complication of diabetes, given early in the disease. We also hope that the finding of this research will pave the way for new screening systems that will allow us to diagnose diabetic retinopathy at earlier stages, which in turn would allow us to provide better care for our patients.”

The EUROCONDOR project began in March 2012, and is expected to be completed in February 2016.

'Cassie's Law' sees changes to how 'unfit drivers' are dealt with

The DVLA has introduced a new ruling that accelerates the process of informing drivers that their licence has been revoked.

 

The changes follow a campaign led by Jackie McCord, whose daughter Cassie was killed in 2011 by an elderly man who had failed a police eye test three days before.

 

Following the death of her daughter, Ms McCord collected 45,000 signatures petitioning for a change to how licences are removed. Under the old scheme, police had to send a letter or fax to have a licence revoked; a process that could take several days. 

 

Under the new rulings, known as ‘Cassie’s Law,’ police can make a telephone call or send an email requesting a licence be removed. This means that the process could now take minutes.

 

Road Safety Minister Stephen Hammond said: “We have every sympathy with Mrs McCord and would like to thank her for her valuable work in raising awareness of this issue. The DVLA and the police have worked closely to greatly streamline the process for revoking a licence when the police identify that a driver’s eyesight is inadequate.

 

“The decision whether to revoke a driving licence on medical grounds remains with the DVLA, though the process for informing drivers that their licence has been revoked has now been accelerated.”

 

Commenting on the rulings, Geoff Roberson, professional adviser for the AOP, said: “We welcome any change that reduces risk to the public from drivers with defective eyesight. However we would like to have seen the Government go further and implement Ms McCord’s wish to have the eyesight of drivers over the age of 70 formally tested at license renewal, rather than continuing to rely on self-certification. This would have been very much in line with improvements to the assessment of drivers’ vision recommended by the Optical Confederation.”

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Industry welcomes cadmium use ruling

Spectacle makers have managed to avert extra costs after a European body placed no further restrictions on the use of cadmium for metal spectacle frames.

It followed a consultation and review by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), which concluded additional regulations for the chemical were not warranted.

The Optical Confederation responded to the consultation in May last year, arguing changes would result in higher costs as all frames would need to be checked for compliance.
Malcom Polley of the Optical Confederation said: 'The ECHA has rightly recognised that the use of metals in spectacle wear differs from jewellery because of the use of nose pads and end pieces which protect the wearer.


'Optical manufacturers are happy to comply with standards but these must be proportionate and we are pleased to see that this has been recognised by the ECHA.'
The need to further restrict the use of cadmium in metal spectacle frames fell outside of REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation & restriction of Chemicals) provisions, which are European Union regulations that came into force in June 2007, a statement noted.
The Optical Confederation's Mark Nevin added: 'We welcome the conclusions in this report and would like to commend the collaborative approach the ECHA has taken in preparing this report.'
The Confederation has also responded to a consultation on the revision of European legislation on medical devices on behalf of the profession.
In relation to cosmetic contact lenses, it stressed that all contact lenses should be subject to 'the same harmonised standards and post-marketing vigilance systems'.

Optometrist's referral saves life of patient

An optometrist has won praise after the life-saving referral of a young patient who turned out to have a brain tumour.

Practitioner Anna Lewin was called into action in October last year, when 23-year-old patient Amber Carter was advised by her GP to book an eye appointment because she had felt unwell for several months. Symptoms had included sickness and headaches.

Following the eye examination, at Haine & Smith Opticians Chippenham, Lewin detected that the optic nerves of both the patient's eyes appeared swollen and referred her straight to Royal United Hospital in Bath.

The following day she had a nine-hour operation at Frenchay Hospital Bristol to remove a benign tumour that was described as being the size of an orange.

Although the tumour was not found to be cancerous, the patient developed right-sided weakness following the surgery and is now having physiotherapy three times a week.

'If I hadn't gone to the opticians to be honest I probably wouldn't be here now so I'm really grateful,' she said.

Lewin, who has been with Haine & Smith for 10 years, said she knew the swollen optic nerve could potentially have been caused by a number of other conditions.

'I knew there was a chance it was a tumour but hoped it wasn't,' she said. 'You do see swelling of the optic nerves occasionally and while often there is another explanation, you also know there's a chance of it being a tumour which is why I referred Amber so quickly.'

She added that 'it could've been catastrophic' had the tumour gone undetected any longer.

Braille smartphone could be on market within a year

An Indian designer, Sumi Dagar, is developing a smartphone that can be used by people who are blind or have low vision.

Mr Dagar’s prototype Braille smartphone is expected to be ready by the end of February and the first model could be on the market within a year.

“The basic handset I am working on now has words and numbers going up and down in Braille. So a user can touch them and recognise or locate numbers and names,” said Mr Dagar. The screen is covered in pins that can rise up from its surface to form Braille words and numbers. 

Mr Dagar is working with a four-member team comprising individuals from the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, New York University in the USA, India’s National Institute of Design and the LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) in India. His partners in the five-year project, which started in 2009, are the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and the LVPEI. He says that several other research institutions have expressed interest in collaborating on the project.

Highlighting optometry as a career option

One Chorley-based optometrist is on a mission to educate young people in the local community about optometry as a future career option.

Suzanne Dennis (pictured) will take part in a careers fair at Parklands High School next week (February 8). The fair will be attended by more than 450 year nine, 10 and 11 pupils at the school. The invite comes after the independent opticians held a series of career evening in practice last year.

Ms Dennis said: “Before Christmas we held our own careers evenings at our Eccleston and Standish practices and received excellent feedback from the students who attended.

“Optometry isn’t always something people think about as a career choice. I hope by attending the careers fair it will open their eyes to what is an interesting and extremely varies profession.”