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Beach cover-ups With eye and hearing problems in the family, Nadine Joyce opted for a career to help people in same boat
Sheer leopard print maxi dress, £45, www. littlewoods. com Coral lace kaftan £25, www. marks and spencer. com Apricot multicoloured kaftan, £24, apricot online. co.uk AS A child, Nadine Joyce suffered sight problems. Her sister Danielle is deaf.
So it’s hardly surprising that when Nadine came to picking a career, she chose to become an optometrist at a clinic that also does hearing tests.
As kids, both sisters were encouraged by their parents to follow their dreams.
Nadine, 24, from Kilmarnock, is training to help other people keep their sight healthy.
Danielle is a world swimming champion.
Nadine grew up with eye problems. She has a lazy eye and optic disc drusen – a condition where the optic nerves gather calcium deposits. It means she has a bigger blind spot than other people – which could worsen.
She is in her final year of training to become an optometrist at Black & Lizars in Ayr, where her clinic offers sight and hearing tests.
Nadine always urges people to get tested regularly as she knows checks can detect a range of underlying conditions that might otherwise go unnoticed.
She said: “I was always in and out of hospital as a wee girl. Then one day, I thought I’d like to help people with their sight, so I’m training as an optometrist.
“People can also have a hearing test at our clinic.
“People have this common misconception that you can only have hearing loss if you’re older and that’s not the case at all.
“You only have one set of eyes and one set of ears and you have to make sure you look after them and get your hearing and eyes checked.”
Deafness runs in her family – but it was still a shock when doctors discovered her sister Danielle, now 20, was born with hearing problems.
Nadine said: “Her hearing gradually got worse and by secondary school, she was wearing a hearing aid.
“Danielle completely lost the hearing in one ear and she has a very small amount of hearing in the other ear. We learned to sign. But Danielle can also lipread very well.”
Nadine has been able to communicate with customers through sign language. Her mum taught her and Danielle as children because a grandparent was deaf.
Nadine added: “I will always remember the first deaf patient who came into the store. The look on his face when I signed to him – he was so happy that he could communicate easily with someone. British sign language is so easy to learn. I’m teaching my manager now.”
Nadine is keen to encourage people to get their hearing checked.
A hearing assessment with her clinic is free and takes around an hour. It can provide reassurance that your hearing is fine – or highlight an issue that needs further treatment.
Danielle certainly hasn’t let her deafness hold her back. She lives in Stirling, where she’s studying sports and exercise science at the university. She first competed in mainstream swimming competitions against hearing athletes and did very well.
Nadine said: “She is at a disadvantage because she can’t hear her coach in the pool and the spur on from the crowd.
“If she’s on the blocks, it’s not a gun – there’s a light by the side of her block – but there’s a reaction disadvantage there as well.”
Danielle broke her foot and was out of action for some time in swimming. But she returned to the sport and was approached to take part in championships for the deaf. She’s competed around the globe and has gone on to win titles and holds 10 deaf world records.
Danielle also won Scottish Women in Sport Sportswoman of the Year 2015.
Nadine said: “Our parents always encouraged us to get on and do things.”
As a wee girl, I was in and out of hospital, so I thought I’d like to help others