mi profession

WRITER Veronica Giang

The high value that Veronica Giang has always placed on the sense of sight pushed her into a career in optometry, and she was delighted to discover the profession was more than just refraction.

Like many people who grew up with myopia, I developed a fascination with how glasses and contact lenses could significantly improve my vision and quality of life. I wanted to help people in this way too, as I believe sight is one of the most important senses that help us fully appreciate our lives! That core belief, combined with an enjoyment of biology at school, led me to study optometry at the University of New South Wales. I graduated with a Master’s degree in 2020.

One of the main things I learnt during university was the vital role of optometrists in eye health and systemic health. Because of this, while studying, I chose to work as an optical assistant in an optometry practice that had great clinical equipment, including corneal topography, visual fields, optical coherence tomography (OCT), widefield retinal imaging, and intense pulsed light (IPL).

I was given opportunities to help the optometrists with these instruments and sometimes even sit in on consultations. The exposure to this aspect of optometry reinforced my interest in managing not only the visual needs of patients, but also their ocular health and full scope optometry.

After graduation, knowing I wanted to pursue a career that allowed a more handson experience in managing eye health, I was ready for a new and challenging experience. I decided to move to Newcastle, north of Sydney, for my first few years of full-time work.

Newcastle, being a smaller city, has less availability of ophthalmologists. This meant I was able to manage a lot of uveitis and metal foreign body removal as well as co-managing glaucoma.

I am grateful for my time there and would recommend moving outside of large metropolitan cities if you’re interested in growing your skills in work and life.

MOVING OUTSIDE THE COMFORT ZONE

One thing I’ve realised during my short career in optometry is that unless you keep pushing yourself, you can begin to feel stagnant: as if you’re no longer growing as a clinician. It’s easy to stay in your comfort zone. But there’s always so much to learn! Technology continues advancing, as more clinical trials are being run, and as new products are being made available to us. When we proactively explore these new, exciting areas, we can progress our career and maintain our passion for what we do.

This is what drives me, along with a tight network of fellow optometry friends and family, who are open to discussing changes in our profession.

In 2023, I moved back to Sydney and again, chose to work at a full-scope optometry practice with an extensive range of clinical equipment. I am grateful to work with colleagues who inspire and encourage me to further my knowledge in myopia control, including orthokeratology. I appreciate being able to use the knowledge I’ve learned over the years to provide optimal care to my loyal, trusting patient base, and I have built strong relationships with local ophthalmologists who co-manage and support my continued interest in managing ocular disease.

Overall, I am satisfied with my career in optometry and don’t think I could see myself doing anything else. I love that I can help patients improve their quality of life, just as my optometrist did for me growing up. I also enjoy the wide scope and different aspects within optometry that keep my job challenging, interesting, and rewarding.

I would say that if you are truly passionate about something, make that your career, and it’ll help you lead a fulfilling life!

Veronica Giang graduated from the University of New South Wales with a Masters of Clinical Optometry in 2020.

She practises at EyeQ in St Ives, in Sydney's northern suburbs.