General News
Sad to see the passing of the Institute of Optometry
Sad to see the passing of the Institute of Optometry
Many Optometrists will have fond memories of The Institute of Optometry close to the Elephant and Castle in London. So too will the older generation of Ophthalmic Opticians who took both sets of Part Two professional exams for the British Optical Association and the Spectacle Makers Company. The BOA of course subsumed into the now College of Optometry when Ophthalmic Opticians (OO’s) became Optometrists (Optoms) .
The IoO (LRH) has now closed its doors for the last time.
Michael Wolff, chairman of the IoO trustees. announced recently.
“The Institute has been obliged to cease seeing patients at our 100-year-old home, which to our great regret is due for demolition,” said Michael Wolff, chairman of the IoO trustees.
It was forced to shut after Southwark local authority gave planning permission for a major redevelopment by Berkeley Homes in Newington Triangle, where it was situated.
Michael continued,
“In the present economic climate, it has not proved feasible to find an alternative location to continue our clinical activities.
“We are naturally aware of our duty of care towards our many long-standing patients, so all of their notes have been transferred to a local independent optometrist who has undertaken to preserve their records in accordance with Association of Optometrists, NHS and GDPR guidelines.
“The trustees of the Institute are also making arrangements so that the charitable funds which the Institute holds will in the future continue to be used in a way which benefits both patients and the optometric profession. Documents explaining the historical legacy of the Institute are now preserved in the BOA Museum of the College of Optometrists.
“The trustees would also like to thank the current practice manager as well as the many loyal members of staff who over the years have worked at the Institute or given of their time to assist in a voluntary capacity,” added Michael.
This was the days of new clinics being sponsored by Dollond and Aitcheson with the very latest kit. It was also famous for its Contact Lens clinic run by Janet Stone, the Orthoptics clinic by Ron Mallet who invented the Fixation Disparity Unit often referred to as the OXO unit and the childrens clinic rum by Miss Farron. Not forgetting the excellent LVA clinic run by Janet Silver.
(Dollond & Aitchison was a historical UK optician group founded in 1750 that was acquired by Boots Opticians in 2009 and rebranded to Boots Opticians, with the name disappearing from high streets by 2015.)
The whole Hospital at the time run by Tony Vallis excellently and was a local treasure and very much appreciated by the local community and those referred to it from far beyond.
With dispensing it actaually supported itself. I wonder how it got into this weakened and unloved state in such a comparatively short time?
Farewell old friend there will be many of us left with fond memories and obviously not so many of the giant optical companies in today’s world willing to bail it out.
