Cold winter chill was transformed into a warm celebration on Wednesday night (Dec 6) as 550 optical folk witnessed the presentation of the 2023 Optician Awards.
In all, 18 trophies were awarded, spanning the gamut of the profession’s disciplines, product categories and practice types, at a glittering black tie bash at the London Hilton on Park Lane.
The evening started with a drinks reception and a welcome from Optician editor in chief Chris Bennett. He then asked guests to pop the sea of balloons filling the room in a balloon burst competition, sponsored by Vivid Optical, which saw Kari Tumelius walk away with £400 and two bottles of Champagne.
A three-course dinner followed before the night of entertainment and celebration began. First up were a troupe of LED-clad dancers and a stunning AV show before the host for the evening, TV’s Russell Kane, started a routine. His edgy humour kept the crowd in stiches throughout the night. Kane was then joined on stage by Bennett for the presentation of the Awards.
Modernity was the watchword of the evening with entries across the categories highlighting technology, artificial intelligence and themes such as sustainability. For the first time an award for the Clinical Leader of the Future was also presented which required entrants to create a video of their vision of the future. A full rundown of the categories, shortlists and winners can be seen below.
With the 18 trophies awarded, guests were invited to dance the night away or network with friends. At 1.00am the dancefloor was still heaving with revelers as the lights went up to end the night.
Optician would like to thank its Awards sponsors for enabling such a great show, the judges for helping to choose the winners but most of all its readers for entering.
Roll of honour
Domiciliary Award
- Winner: Optomise
- Sophie Bale, OutsideClinic
- Connect Eyecare
- Derby1 Domiciliary Specsavers
- Newcastle2 Home Visits
- Raymond White Optician
Clinical Leader of the Future Award sponsored by Specsavers
- Winner: Kishan Devraj, Moorfields Eye Hospital
- Esha Dutta, Vision Express
- Krupa Mistry, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire
Contact Lens Practice of the Year sponsored by CooperVision
- Winner: Park Vision
- Camden Contact Lens Centre
- Maskell + Josephson
- Specsavers, Derby
- Specsavers, Keighley
Technology Practice of the Year sponsored by Optix
- Winner: Buchanan Optometrists
- Harrison Coley Opticians
- Maskell + Josephson
- Orr & Simpson Eye Care
- Safarian and Simon Opticians
Multiple Practice of the Year sponsored by Scope
- Winner: Specsavers, Northampton
- Boots Opticians, Congleton
- Specsavers, Bingley
- Specsavers, Weedon Road
- Vision Express, Swiss Cottage
Independent Practice of the Year sponsored by Hoya
- Winner: Buchanan Optometrists
- Davies & Jones Optometrists
- Mr Jinkinsons
- Pearce and Blackmore Opticians
- Wood Street Opticians
Fashion Practice of the Year sponsored by Marcolin
- Winner: Rachel Murray Eyecare
- Albert Road Opticians
- Dickens Eye Clinic
- Dipple & Conway Opticians
- Norma Davies Opticians
- The Optical Gallery
The Lens Award
- Winner: Carl Zeiss Vision
- HOYA Lens, UK
- Shamir, UK
- Younger Optics Europe
The Frame Award
- Winner: Eyespace Eyewear
- Continental Eyewear (Part of Millmead Optical Group)
- l.a.Eyeworks
The Contact Lens Award
- Winner: mark'ennovy
- Menicon
The Technology Award
- Winner: Blueworks OIMS, UK
- Harrison Coley Opticians
- Mainline Instruments
- Ocumetra
- Optos
- Rodenstock, UK
Optical Supplier Award
- Winner: Practice Building
- Optimum Coatings Rx Lens Specialists
- Optoplast (Part of Millmead Optical Group)
- Seiko Optical, UK
The Myopia Management Award sponsored by CooperVision
- Winner: Craig McArthur, Peter Ivins Eye Care
- Iain Johnson, Johnson and Leatherbarrow Opticians
- Deven Lakhani, Hammond Opticians
- Keyur Patel, Tompkins Knight & Son Optometrists
- Bhavin Shah, Central Vision Opticians
- Alex Smith, Michael Offord Optometrist
Social Media Practice of the Year Award
- Winner: Pearce & Blackmore Opticians
- Loxley Opticians & Eyewear Experts
- Yorkshire Eyewear
Optical Assistant Team of the Year sponsored by Ocuco
- Winner: Rach Optometrists
- Allegro Optical
- David Burghardt Vision Care
- Saffron Eyecare
- Specsavers, Hucknall
- Yorkshire Eyewear
Contact Lens Practitioner of the Year sponsored by ASDA
- Winner: Marc Drake, Osmond Drake Opticians
- Rebecca Donnelly, Lynne Fernandes Optometrists
- Nicola Hughes, Specsavers Macclesfield
- Rebecca Rietdyke, Johnson and Leatherbarrow Opticians
Dispensing Optician of the Year
- Winner: Gill Thorp, Airedale Opticians
- Paul Davies, Nicklins Opticians
- Scott O'Neill, Doctor Oculus
- Helena Stengel, Anstee & Proctor Opticians
- Lisa Whittaker, Eyes on the Moor
Optometrist of the Year sponsored by OutsideClinic
- Winner: Dr Martin Smith, Martin Smith Opticians
- Lloyd Griffiths, Lloyd Griffiths Eyecare
- Mohammed Hafejee, Airedale Opticians
- Elaine Hawthorn, Specsavers Opticians Stranraer
- Michael Offord, Michael Offord Optometrist
- Sheena Tanna-Shah, Inspiring Success