Insight on eye care work
Gabriel talks about his job as an optometrist visiting people at home to check their vision
OPTOMETRIST Gabriel Ferriol Pericas is so passionate about eye care that he swapped his native Spain for Scotland to further his career.
The 31-year-old, originally from Majorca and now living in Glasgow, has worked for Black & Lizars Optometrists for two years.
Here, Gabriel tells us about his working day as a domiciliary optometrist.
Can you tell us about the work you do for Black & Lizars?
I carry out comprehensive eye examinations, such as those done in practice, in the convenience of my patients’ home.
This service is available for patients who struggle to access their local optician or hospital.
Why did you choose to do home visits rather than work in practice?
I was drawn to the dynamic nature of the working day that home visits offer.
I have previous experience of setting up “pop-up” testing facilities in remote locations of Scotland, primarily on the northwest coast, and I knew this experience would lend itself to domiciliary care for Black & Lizars.
It allows patients who struggle to access their local practice or hospital to receive essential regular eye examinations from the comfort of their living room. This can have a huge impact on the patients’ quality of life.
Ensuring that the right prescription glasses are worn, that there are no issues with eye health or other underlying conditions, can empower our patients to both enjoy and thrive in their daily lives.
Have you always worked as an optometrist?
I have worked as an optometrist for most of my career but I have also worked as a qualified hearing aid dispenser – a service Black & Lizars also offer in practice and for domiciliary patients.
What training/qualifications did you need?
To do my job, you need to be a qualified optometrist. In my case, I have a Diploma in Optometry from the Faculty of Optics and Optometry of Terrasa, Barcelona.
I then extended my training by attending the Optometry BSc course at Glasgow Caledonian University.
As well as university education, I am a member of the College of Optometrists and registered with the General Optical Council, where I can share knowledge and learn from other optometrists.
I am also currently working towards my Independent Prescribing Optometrist qualification.
Did you move to Scotland for career reasons?
Yes, I did. Scotland is and, in my opinion, has always been at the forefront of primary eye care quality service in Europe.
In Glasgow, I am more involved in the management of eye conditions and have a closer working relationship with local GPs and hospital eye services than I would have in Spain.
What’s a typical day like?
In terms of process, we have a similar day to those in the practice. We have a scheduled diary of appointments for the day that we have confirmed with our patients and close family members in advance.
We leave the office early in the morning and travel to our appointments with all the necessary testing equipment and a wide range of frames.
An optical assistant, who gives patients advice on glasses and lens options to best suit the patient, always accompanies me.
Once we have finished our appointments, we drive back to our central office to put any orders through and contact any GPs or hospital departments to inform of the visit and request further treatment if necessary.
Favourite part of the job?
Experiencing first-hand how appreciative our patients are of being able to receive their eye test at home.