Optometry news – World Optometry Day: celebrating the profession

The 23rd March marked World Optometry Day 2023, a global initiative that aims to raise awareness of optometry as a healthcare profession and highlight the contribution that the profession makes to ensuring the public’s eye health.

The theme of this year’s campaign is Expanding optometry’s role – the time is now. To celebrate the day, OT spoke to optometrists in a range of settings about why they entered optometry, the profession’s highlights, and their predictions for the future.

Sarah Hardy, regional optometrist lead at SpaMedica

Optometrist Sarah Hardy’s interest in optometry was initially sparked when she attended her first eye exam as a teenager. Fascinated by the equipment and the way the optometrist was able to problem-solve. She went on to complete work experience at the practice before becoming an optical assistant. Then going on to graduate from the University of Manchester in 2012. Her career highlight to date has been gaining her IP qualification. As well as supporting the training and development of optometrist peers in SpaMedica to achieve this qualification too.

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