Optical Dispensers

  • KATRINA STEED: Treetops Optical Dispensing Manager
    Licensed Optical Dispenser

    Katrina has been the branch manager at Treetops since 2003. She began her career in optics at a large national chain in 2000, and graduated as a Licensed Optical Dispenser in 2004. Katrina has built a loyal client base due to her outstanding optical knowledge and customer service skills.  She has undergone extra training in operating specialised testing equipment including Computerised Visual Field Perimetry, and Cirrus Ocular Coherence Tomography (OCT) for the anterior and posterior segments. In 2009 Katrina completed studies in Business Management. Outside of work Katrina enjoys gym, surfing and travel with her husband.

    MICHAEL REYNOLDS: Nerang/Burleigh Heads Optical Dispensing Manager
    Licensed Optical Dispenser

    Michael first entered the optical industry in 1997, when he was a part time optical assistant in both Alice Springs and Darwin in the Northern Territory. He was working as a development officer with the Soccer Federation, developing youth programs for juniors all across the Northern Territory. Although a highly rewarding position, it didn’t pay very well so he took a second job to supplement the income.  In this position, Michael gained knowledge and a keen interest and continued part time optical work until he left for overseas travel in 1998. After returning from overseas in 1999, he took up a dispensing position at Pacific Fair, where he went on to manage the practice for the next 4 years. Michael gained formal dispensing qualifications through the Optical Dispensing Licensing Board of NSW in December 2004. He worked for Vision by Brian Job as a dispenser at Benowa from 2003 before leaving to start his own practice at Tweed Heads in 2005. After selling the practice at the end of 2009, Michael accepted an offer to join the Envision Optical team, excited by the challenge of providing first class independent eyecare for the Gold Coast. Michael enjoys solving optical problems for his clients, and has a keen interest in the fashion side of optics, and enjoys seeking out and buying eyewear that is high quality, good value and unique to the area he is working. Mike is married with two beautiful children Finn and Elsie. Karen my wife and I were married in her home town in Ireland 3 years ago but very much call the beautiful suburb of Burleigh home.  He is also a soccer tragic and his mood varies with the fortunes of Everton.

    MELISSA MUDGE: Tweed Heads Optical Dispensing Manager
    Licensed Optical Dispenser

    After graduating with a Bachelor of Health Science from Griffith University in 1997, Melissa began her career in optics in 1998 with a large national chain. She completed her Optical Dispensing studies in 2001, graduating with Distinction. In 2002 she was promoted to Store Manager, before joining the Tweed Heads branch in 2005 as our optical dispensing branch manager. Melissa has also completed post graduate studies in retail and business management, and is a Certified Contact Lens Coach. She has also undergone clinical training in Visual Field Testing and GDX Nerve Scanning Polarimetry, and performs these tests on Tweed Heads patients. Melissa is renowned in the Tweed area for her excellent technical knowledge and outstanding service. Outside of work, Melissa loves her horses, her dog, gym and spending time and travelling with her husband.

    MICHELLE O’CONNOR:  Nerang Optical Dispensing
    Licensed Optical Dispenser

    Since 2001 I have been working in the optical industry as a dispenser. I first cut my teeth in Adelaide at Laubman & Pank, before moving to the Gold Coast in 2002 and transferring to Budget Eyewear. After working with the company for a few years, I was offered a position with an independent optometrist in Southport. During these twelve months I improved my optical mechanical skills and it was great to be around such a variety of different frames and to discover there were so many different types of lenses available to the public, which are not available in the large chains. Unfortunately I wanted to work closer to home, so after a year I returned to Laubman & Pank in Elanora, where I was living at the time. Also in 2005 I finished my studies to become a licensed Optical Dispenser. In the last few years I have been working as a relief dispenser for a large national chain, traveling around Queensland and Darwin, helping those stores that were short on staff. This meant that I had to adapt and hit the ground running with every store I worked in.

    Now working with Envision Optical, I am once again working close to home and using all the knowledge I have absorbed from working with so many different qualified dispensers and optometrists. It’s a treat to be able to work around such a fantastic team environment and utilize the latest technology to provide the best optical solutions for our patients.