In 2003, Judy returned to the workplace with Specsavers Opticians where she would remain for the next twenty two years. She started as an optometrist at the Specsavers branch in Longton, Staffordshire, where she continued as a practice director until 2021. Judy developed an expertise in retail optics, as well as working closely alongside the local Hospital Eye Service (HES) to introduce diabetic screening and paediatric shared care schemes. From 2010 to 2022 she also worked concurrently once a week as a specialist optometrist for the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust at the Royal Stoke University Hospital, contributing to both the corneal graft surgery and paediatric orthoptic clinics.
For three years, from 2017 she contributed a regular column, ‘The View from the High Street’ to the journal Optician, and from 2019 she served as a registrant member on the General Optical Council’s (GOC) hearings panel. During this time, she developed further specialism, obtaining her Wales Optometry Postgraduate Education Centre (WOPEC) Minor Eye conditions (MECS) certificate and WOPEC Glaucoma accreditation in 2015. She gained The College of Optometrists’ Professional Certificate in Glaucoma and Professional Certificate in Medical Retina in early 2021, via Cardiff University.
Judy became a Lead Assessor for WOPEC in 2016 and obtained her Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (CAVA) from the NOCN Group in March 2018. Her own training company, Judy Lea Optometry Ltd was incorporated in 2019. She was appointed an Assessor for the City & Guilds Diabetic Retinopathy & Screening qualification and she served as Head of Enhanced Optical Services for Specsavers North West & Midlands regions up until March 2020. She served as an assessor for The College of Optometrists in the North West and West Midlands regions since 2017 and had been a pre-registration scheme examiner since 2020. In June 2021, she was appointed the group’s Head of University Engagement for Specsavers, coinciding with the General Optical Council’s Education Strategic Review.
In October 2022, Judy became Head of Optometry Development, taking responsibility for the planning, development and delivery of Specsavers optometry career pathways. She started with graduate and pre-registration trainees through to qualification and into their early careers. This involved close collaboration with the UK optics clinical & resourcing teams. The role also required her to act in professional and clinical support roles, which included writing, presenting, and facilitating continuing professional development (CPD) sessions. She summed up her work with Specsavers pre-registration trainees as ‘supporting them to work better with patients and colleagues to become better clinicians’.
Giles Edmonds, clinical services director for Specsavers said “Judy’s skills and influence positively impacted the care provided by many thousands of optometrists who, in turn, support the eye health of the nation to a higher standard, thanks to her.”
“There will be few, if any, optometrists who have qualified in recent years who have not been impacted by Judy’s work in some way. Her impact and contribution are immeasurable. Her warmth and humour brightened events she attended, she will be missed,” said Prof Lizzy Ostler, Director of Education at The College of Optometrists.
Judy leaves behind her husband Brian and three children: Joe, Sam, and Georgia.
