Interview with Optometrist Doctor Jane Macnaughton

In my teenage years I had two friends with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP). I was perhaps, now thinking back to those days a little too fascinated over their condition and how it impacted their education, their own academic and career pathways in life and, how to navigate them back home after a night in the pub. At the time we all laughed about it. However as the years progressed it became more apparent the impact RP had upon their lives. When I completed my first degree in Aberdeen, I found myself naturally veering towards a career in eyecare. I lost touch with them over the years but never forgot about them.

I have worked in the sight loss sector my entire career. Starting out at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, I became naturally interested in working within the low vision clinics, finding the right device or magnifier for those who had sight loss.

However our roles as optometrists and dispensing opticians within the sector has expanded beyond the devices over the years. We now work more closely with our vision rehabilitation colleagues and other health and social care workers, ECLOs and QTVIs etc. This change in relationships is of huge value to the patients and service users we see.

I think most of the public are unaware of the benefits of an eye examination. I don’t think our profession has helped this much either. High street shops which have a retail element regarding frames and lenses are always going to be valued differently to other healthcare appointments. However, a simple view of the back of the eye can tell us a great deal about the overall health of the individual, from heart disease to diabetes.

Another misconception is that many parents are not aware that their children can be examined by an optometrist at any age. They do not need to know their letters. They do not even need to be able to speak. I work with very young children, including those with autism, ADHD and other disabilities. It is a joy to be able to make an impact upon a child’s education when you realise that the reason they were not engaging at school was because they simply were struggling to see the board.

There has always been a strong bond between Vista and the eye department at the Royal Infirmary and our NHS low vision clinics are hosted within the Vista premises.  This allows us to work more closely with our vision rehabilitation team who are the professionals who visit our service users within their home to discuss the impact sight loss has on practical daily living activities and independence. 

We need to work together more. We need more locally placed Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians involved in the provision of NHS funded low vision services, including the prescribing of devices within the primary care sector. The Welsh Low Vision Scheme has led the way. I would love to see the rest of the UK follow suit. The challenge, as always is in the funding.