An established independent optometry practice in Halifax is strengthening its specialist services following the qualification of one of its longest-serving team members as a Contact Lens Optician.
Tracy Portsmouth-Key, who has been part of the team at Thornton Optometry in Denholme Gate Road, Hipperholme for eight years, has completed her two-year qualification to become a Contact Lens Optician (CLO), adding another specialist discipline to the practice’s existing clinical expertise.
Tracy previously worked as a Dispensing Optician at the practice and has long held an interest in the more clinical side of optometry. Her new qualification will enable her to spend more time working directly with patients considering contact lenses, as well as expanding the range of specialist contact lens services available at the practice.
Tracy has already begun carrying out more complex contact lens fittings, including toric lenses for patients with astigmatism and multifocal lenses, and will be developing dedicated contact lens clinics over the coming months.
She is also keen to explore opportunities for Thornton Optometry to develop more specialist services in the future, including orthokeratology and scleral lenses.
Tracy Portsmouth-Key said: “I wanted to add another string to my bow and I’ve always been really interested in the clinical side of the profession. Completing the qualification has taken two years, so it feels fantastic to finally be able to put that knowledge into practice and offer even more to our patients.
“I think there is a real opportunity for us to expand our contact lens offering at Thornton Optometry. There are so many different options available now, from everyday lenses through to more specialist solutions, and I’m particularly interested in developing areas such as orthokeratology and scleral lenses.
“For our patients, it also means I can spend more time with them, properly understand what they want to achieve and talk them through whether contact lenses could be right for them. I’ve already started fitting toric and multifocal lenses and I’m really looking forward to building our contact lens clinics over the coming months.”
The addition of a specialist Contact Lens Optician will also benefit the wider practice team and its patients.
Optometrist Fiona Matthewman, who also works at Thornton Optometry, said the qualification would allow the team to make better use of its clinical expertise while giving patients more time with the appropriate member of the team.
She said: “It’s fantastic to have Tracy’s specialist contact lens knowledge within the practice. Her expertise means we can offer even more dedicated support to patients who are interested in contact lenses, while strengthening the range of care we provide across the practice. Ultimately, it gives us more flexibility and expertise as a team, helping us give every patient the best possible experience.
“Tracy has worked incredibly hard over the last two years to achieve this qualification and it’s great to see her now putting that knowledge into practice.”
Established in 1991, Thornton Optometry has built a loyal customer base within the local community over more than three decades. The practice is now looking to build on that strong foundation by expanding its specialist services and attracting a younger generation of patients.
The development of its contact lens offering is part of that wider ambition, providing patients with access to more specialised expertise while retaining the personal, independent approach that has been central to the practice since it first opened.
With contact lens technology continuing to evolve, Thornton Optometry believes there is significant potential to introduce more patients to the benefits of contact lenses – whether they are looking for an alternative to glasses, a more flexible option for sport and leisure, or specialist solutions for particular visual needs.
