Claudia Rojas.

VANCOUVER—Specsavers said this week that it has set out to build the largest network of opticians in Canada, which the U.K.-founded company said is part of its plan “to ensure clinical excellence,” according to the company’s announcement. “This is because Specsavers believe opticians are crucial to providing high-quality patient care, as they directly and significantly influence a patient’s quality of life,” the announcement noted. Once an optometrist has defined what is necessary to correct a patient’s vision it is an optician who brings the prescription to life to help the patients see more clearly with a comfortable and manageable eyecare regime, the announcement noted.
 
To lead this recruiting charge, Specsavers has named Claudia Rojas as head of opticianry, Specsavers Canada. Rojas has over 20 years of experience working as a licensed refracting optician and has made tremendous strides in the optical industry.
 
Specsavers said in October 2021 that it plans to that it plans to “become a market leader” and open more than 200 locally owned locations across Canada by 2024, as VMAIL reported. The ambitious expansion initiative began with the launch of 16 Specsavers stores in British Columbia beginning late last year.
 
 
 
For Rojas, her commitment to promote eyecare and eye health awareness has led to a position with the College of Opticians of British Columbia, and she also is currently the vice president of the Opticians Association of Canada (OAC) and president of the OAC’s British Columbia chapter.
 
“In my new role as head of opticianry, I am guided by my commitment to promote eyecare and eye health awareness,” Rojas said. “I look forward to broadening our network and ensuring opticians feel relevant, important and appreciated, as they are integral to the eyecare industry.”
 
In addition, Specsavers said it aims to have at least one optician present at all optical stores, at all times, to mentor eyecare consultants and optimize patient care.
 
“Opticians are integral to the delivery of Specsavers’ purpose, which is to provide accessible, quality eyecare and affordable eyewear,” Bill Moir, general manager of Specsavers Canada, said. “With Claudia at the helm, we’ll continue to support, train and mentor opticians to provide the best care possible, for example, using our OCT scans as a standard part of pre-test and our range of quality eyewear and advanced lenses, to best serve their patients.”
 
Specsavers also noted that it is committed to offering its retail team career-progression plans to become licensed opticians and contact lens practitioners through a sponsorship program currently in development. For more information, register for a session or learn more about Specsavers’ retail partnership for opticians at join.specsavers.com/ca.
 
Founded in the U.K. nearly 40 years ago by optometrist husband and wife team Doug and Mary Perkins, Specsavers now has more than 2,500 Specsavers locations across 11 countries that care for 41 million patients and customers, the company said.