BSc (Hons) FBDO FAAO FEAOO
Director of Development
International Opticians Association
United Kingdom
Elaine has many years’ experiences in the optical and vision-care sector both at association and commercial level. She qualified as a dispensing optician and registered with the General Optical Council in 1985. After a spell in practice, she joined Essilor as a lens consultant, troubleshooting for practitioners as well as lecturing extensively. In 1989 she was headhunted by Essilor HQ in Paris where she worked in a number of roles including operational product marketing and strategic marketing and product development. She was the professional link between Essilor R&D and external research centers around the world, chosen to undertake external independent clinical trials. From 1993 to 2001 she was the Head of Global Professional Relations for Optometry and Opticianry during which time she was instrumental in creating and managing the flagship, Varilux University, the first European education center dedicated to presbyopia and the ageing eye. She has been involved with the production of educational and promotional tools and a clinical textbook. She is a regular participant in international optometry, optical and ophthalmology congresses both as a delegate and speaker.
She sits on the Executive Board of the European Council of Optometry and Optics and is secretary of ECOO’s Public Affairs and Economic Committee. She is also a Trustee of the European Academy of Optometry and Optics (EAOO). She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and also the EAOO. She is a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers, the oldest optical association in the world. Elaine is also scientific programmes coordinator for the Silmo Academy and Director of Development of the International Opticians Association.
In 2019 she was awarded the Owen Aves Memorial medal and invited to give the Owen Aves Memorial lecture. In 2018 she was awarded an Outstanding Contribution award from Wenzhou Medical University in China. In 2019, she was presented with the International Award for the Popularization of Science – Outstanding Contribution to the Development of Chinese Ophthalmology, Optometry and Vision Science. In 2020 she was awarded a First Class BSc (Hons) in Vision Science and she is completing her Masters of Science degree in Dementia.
Key Pointers for Choosing the Best Frame Your Client Ever Had
As well as being an important optical appliance, spectacle frames are an adornment for the face and are the first thing people notice when they look at someone wearing spectacles. This lecture looks at why choosing the right frame for a patient is a key element in the success of your business and enhancement of your brand.
The best frame for your patient must reflect their looks and personality, fit well, suit the contours of their face, enhance their colouring, be adapted to their lifestyle and be suitable for their prescription. To make all that happen at once is an art, a science and a skill. As well as technical know-how and an eye for aesthetics, optical professionals need diplomacy, honesty and firmness to ensure that the patient does not walk out of the practice with a purchase they may regret later (or one which will reflect badly on your practice). Making sure your patients look and feel amazing is a way to ensure repeat business and to harness recommendations.