Neil Retallic, left of picture, highlighted the opportunities that exist for eye care professionals (ECPs) during his inaugural address as new British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) president. The head of global professional services for Menicon formally succeeded former president Indie Grewal, on right of picture, at the BCLA’s annual general meeting on September 9.
Retallic’s talk, entitled ‘The person behind the contact lens – through a pandemic and beyond’ was held online and examined how practitioners could utilise the experience of working during the pandemic to adapt to coming digital changes and value patient’s mental health.
‘Covid-19 has prompted an unprecedented degree of change for contact lens wearers and ECPs,’ he said. ‘As ECPs, we need to understand the emotional consequences of Covid-19 and the resulting mental health crisis. To keep our patients happy, healthy and successful with contact lens wear, we need to think about the person behind the lens.’