OSA Latest Profiles
Tim Baker
BIB Ophthalmic Instruments
Tim Baker was considerably ahead of the curve when he started his optical business in 1999 – nearly a quarter of a century later the sustainable choices for re-conditioned and restored technology have come of age. “I was always horrified by the amount that was going to landfill. It was a massive waste when so much technology had so much usage left in it. There was a great opportunity in the market for recycling and refurbishing,” said Tim. Still a major part of the Stevenage-based business, with many customers taking satisfaction in the knowledge that their existing kit is being ...
Alan Pitcher
EssilorLuxottica
The cost of living crisis, and rising interest rates affecting everyone, are uppermost in everyone’s minds at the moment – to help counter this EssilorLuxottica are focused on the whole life value of products. “We are expecting current market conditions to play out in much the same way over the next few years, and so are looking to see how we can support the market with value creation. Patients who love their eyewear will ultimately cherish the solution they purchased, hopefully for many years. But also appreciate the eye care professional that delivered that great outcome for them more, perhaps ...
Continental Eyewear
Providing an inspired offering for every price point of the retail frame market has brought awards and accolades for Continental Eyewear – beloved by generations of practices. Supporting businesses and working closely with dispensing teams throughout the country brings recognition, the team found last year when they were awarded the coveted accolade of OPTICIAN Frame Supplier of the Year. “Our broad appeal has ensured that Continental has been meeting the needs of practices for nearly 40 years, and we continue to inspire each year with excellent frame design created under the guidance of our in-house design,” said Peter Cronin, Head ...
David Thickens
Grafton Optical
“We are a small family business, like a lot of our customers, and so we understand many of the challenges which independents face. We aim to be a one-stop shop for them, with a full range of diagnostic and refractive devices, consulting room furniture, instruments and consumables - tools, near vision test cards and practice essentials,” said David Thickens, CEO. The 40 year old business is led by David, son-in-law of the founder, Brian Bowles, known to many in optics. The team of 13 – many of whom have worked for the business for more than 30 years - aim ...
Julian Clarke
Caseco
Julian Clarke, Managing Director Ensuring your clients’ lasting memory of your business is overwhelmingly positive, is the underlying ethos of Casesco’s support for independents. Julian Clarke, Managing Director, explains Caseco’s ability to provide branded products that reinforce a quality market position, with well-honed experience from the 26 year old company – “Most independent practices want to engage long-term with higher spending patients, and so the profile of their business and quality of their merchandise, must reflect that. We supply those inspiring products, whether they are customised or unbranded for retail sale. If you’re a quality business, why would you put ...
Mark Robertson
Caledonian
Caledonian Optical is in advanced stages of planning a trebling of its current lens manufacturing space in Aberdeen. Sustainability underpins all aspects of the move, as Mark Robertson, Head of Manufacturing, who celebrates 30 years at Caledonian this autumn, explained – “We need an increased capacity – not just for the work of the 45-strong Duncan & Todd group to which the lab belongs, but also for our independent customers throughout the UK. We take sustainability very seriously and our move to new premises is the ideal opportunity to address this with a completely different mind-set from a few years ...
Mike Riley
Hilco Vision
Mike Riley, Director Commercial Operations Mike Riley’s recent return to the Yorkshire business - with a broader experience in the optical supply chain - has ensured he is keen on expanding Hilco Vision’s traditional brand offering to now include M&S Technologies and Bruder Healthcare. There is now an emphasis on dry eye treatments where they partner with Positive Impact and the very significant launch of the Smart System VR headset for perimetry where they are partnering with Frost Optical. “This VR Headset is a game changer in terms of freeing up the traditionally very large footprint of visual field devices, ...
Daniel Smerald, Director of Sales and Marketing
Atlantic Optical
Big and Tall, the trade-marked name of Atlantic Optical’s plus size eyewear collection, provides the solution for many dispensing dilemmas, along with the female models in the Made for You range, produced by the Cardiff frame company. “As a 6’7” former rugby player I used to break my glasses a lot, often with snapped hinges and temples. At that time there was no dedicated fitted range and so seven years ago we launched these collections, which have found a strong market. We know from NHS data that patients are getting bigger,” said Daniel. The 62/24- 155 sizing, some with very ...
Karl Jeebaun, Founder and CEO Ben David, General ManagerEvery optical business will be using some aspect of AOS technology within the next five years, with the software embedded in diagnostic technology, or within vision-loss monitoring mobile phone apps, says the Surrey-based business. Founded nine years ago, AOS is leading the drive to bring E-Health to every High Street optical business and hospital eye department, with Founder Karl Jeebaun also chairing the OSA’s E-Health Focus Group. The young business, with a team of 17, was 2022 OPTICIAN Technology Business of the Year. “The greatest challenge to the UK optical market is the ambiguity surrounding regulations, which correlates directly to the lack of adoption of new technologies. We are addressing this problem and have developed a software platform that enables optometrists and ophthalmologists to provide their patients with hybrid care. “Our software is designed to take a process which is slow, inefficient and inaccurate to something which is agile, fast and highly accurate. The key is to manage patients more efficiently and to refine the treatment pathways – that may be in High Street practices. Clinical imaging is a major aspect of our offering and we work with a number of High Street practices, both large and small, to help them to diagnose and manage their patients both in and out of the practice,” said Ben David. “There is a growing awareness that as a sector, we are probably behind other healthcare specialties and we are addressing this by enhancing the productivity of optical businesses in processing patients through the care pathway,” he added. The efficiencies of E-Health and managing patients well is bringing significant environmental benefits too – “We reduced a well know High Street chain’s CO2 emissions by 70,000 kgs last year by facilitating remote monitoring by telehealth. The vast majority of patients like to have online consultations which save them time, inconvenience and travel costs. The capturing of images and sharing them with the patient certainly aids engagement with the management of their condition too, and is something that we will see more of in the months ahead,” added Ben.
AOS Advanced Ophthalmic Systems
Every optical business will be using some aspect of AOS technology within the next five years, with the software embedded in diagnostic technology, or within vision-loss monitoring mobile phone apps, says the Surrey-based business. Founded nine years ago, AOS is leading the drive to bring E-Health to every High Street optical business and hospital eye department, with Founder Karl Jeebaun also chairing the OSA’s E-Health Focus Group. The young business, with a team of 17, was 2022 OPTICIAN Technology Business of the Year. “The greatest challenge to the UK optical market is the ambiguity surrounding regulations, which correlates directly to ...
Steve Tulba, Managing Director (Inspecs Ltd)
Inspecs Group
Committed to managing the global footprint of the frame and lens business is Inspecs Managing Director, Steve Tulba, as he explained – “Sustainability and accountability is an important challenge and one that we take very seriously. As suppliers and practices we need to come together to ensure that this does not mean a compromise in quality and that it can be affordable for anyone,” he said. The Inspecs Group – founded in 1988 in Bath – has grown to embrace the world-famous specialist Norville lab in Gloucester, plus International Eyewear, with a broad offering brought to UK practices by a ...