From the Front Room: The particular demands of serving on the home front

I chose optometry as a profession because I wanted to make a difference. In domiciliary, while it is challenging, I feel I’m making a difference every day.

Recently, my dispenser and I visited a young man with learning disabilities for the first time, who was being looked after in a wonderful, small care home. I sat down to talk to him and found the chair where he had been sitting was a little damp. When we tested his eyes we found he was extremely short-sighted, and the only reason he wet himself was that he couldn’t always find the toilet. Despite the challenges, there is much job satisfaction in helping vulnerable people who can’t leave their homes. Being able to help someone in that way makes it all worthwhile.