When people decide to work at Specsavers, they’re joining a company with a purpose to change lives through better sight and hearing – hence why more Australians and New Zealanders choose the optometry provider over any other.
As one of the largest employers in the ANZ optometry sector, Insight sits down with an employee each month to hear about their growth trajectory within the company.
Specsavers stats
Name: Eilish Devlin
Current position: Second year graduate optometrist
Location: Rundle Mall Specsavers, SA
Years within the business: 5
Why did you pursue an optometry career, and how did you enter the profession?
My parents are both nurses. My dad works for the Royal Flying Doctors Service and my mum does agency nursing work across Australia, mostly in rural locations. So, there has always been a strong focus on healthcare in my family. Sitting around the dinner table and listening to my parents talk about interesting patients, people, and cases, I always knew I wanted to work in healthcare.
My parents always advised me that there would be job demand in the health industry. I also really liked how my parents’ job flexibility allowed them to work and travel anywhere in the country.
The long night shifts and unsociable hours that my parents endured did not appeal to me, so I picked optometry, which was a better fit for me.
How did you come to work at Specsavers, and what attracted you to the business?
The reasons I chose to work at Specsavers are the same reasons I originally chose to be a customer and patient here. I liked the affordability, accessibility, and standardisation of eyecare. I liked that Specsavers is a trusted brand across the country and globe.
What was your first role within the business, and what did it entail?
My first role was as an optical dispenser whilst completing my degree at university. It involved pre-testing, administrative tasks, and the dispensing of glasses. The team I worked with was close-knit and I loved coming to work there on the weekends. My work as a dispenser helped me grow my interpersonal skills and confidence. The fun, nurturing and happy culture at the two stores I worked at during my time at university was what ultimately led to my decision to remain at Specsavers as an optometrist.
Since then, what growth opportunities have presented themselves?
The graduate program at Specsavers presents ample opportunities for growth. My mentors have helped me grow immensely as a clinician and continue to provide support and guidance to me professionally and personally, as a young person transitioning into the workforce. Moving into my second year of the graduate program and commencing my year two project, I am now growing my leadership capabilities establishing myself as a leader within my store.
Outside of Specsavers, I had the opportunity to join an outreach eye camp to Nepal earlier this year. This trip was through Australian Rotary, in conjunction with rotary clubs in Nepal. The team consisted of 50 volunteers, and was made up of optometrists, dispensers, and Rotarians from across Australia and translators and Rotarians from Nepal.
Over two weeks we conducted nine clinics across the western regions of Nepal. We screened more than 8,000 people, distributed nearly 5,000 pairs of glasses, and facilitated over 300 cataract surgeries.
This trip was confronting and rewarding in many ways. I found grappling with the difference in eyesight standards challenging initially. What we would consider low or unacceptable vision here, was the norm over there. We were no longer working to get people to be able to see the bottom of the vision chart, we were aiming to get their vision good enough so that they could continue to work, continue to cook, and care for themselves or their family members.
Can you outline your top career highlights since joining Specsavers?
A career highlight so far was being present at the collection of my first highly hyperopic paediatric patient’s glasses collection. Seeing his enthusiasm for his first pair of glasses was incredibly rewarding. Weeks later, he came in for a follow-up and his dad informed me how radically his performance at school had improved and I was chuffed to be able to be a part of this life changing moment for this child.
Similarly, placing a -6.00D trial frame on a middle-aged lady in Nepal during outreach was a smile I’ll never forget. Her eyes lit up, she was elated and stated that she “never thought she would ever be able to see again”. I feel so fortunate to have been able to see firsthand what a difference a pair of glasses can make to someone’s life.
What is your most interesting clinical case?
I saw lots of interesting and end-stage cases on my trip to Nepal but sadly for a lot of them, nothing could be done. I saw one lady with a painful, blind eye with an IOP of over 50mmHg. Seeing these cases really struck me with a lot of sadness and gratitude, because in Australia her vision loss and chronic pain would be preventable and treatable.
What excites you most about turning up for work each day?
My favourite part about my job is that every 20-30 minutes I get to meet a new person with a new story. Each day is different, some people I help with prescriptions and others I help with immediate medical problems that were previously undiagnosed. I feel I make a change in people’s lives and it makes them happy and me happy. The rewards are not just financial, feeling good when you help someone has no price.
More reading
Specsavers Stories – Henny Jaakkola