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Everything we do is designed to make buying contact lenses online easier, more efficient and more secure. With the insider knowledge and vast optics experience of our eye care professionals, we can do this with pride. They inform every decision we make, and are integral to our goal of making it quick and simple for everyone to order contact lenses online. Whether it’s launching a new product, optimising our shipping, improving our customer services or giving advice on prescriptions, our eye care professionals lead the way.
Our experienced eye care professionals
Meet our experts
Brendan O’Brien, Chief Operating Officer
Brendan studied Ophthalmic Optics, Optometry at The University of Manchester where he achieved a Bachelor of Science honours degree. After leaving university, he completed the British College of Optometrists Professional Qualifying Examination, and received his MCOptom certification.
He then spent his early career as an optometrist for opticians Dollond & Aitchison, moving on to Boots Opticians after gaining valuable experience. Brendan joined Specsavers where he took the role of Ophthalmic Director. In this position he opened the first Specsavers practice in Northern Ireland. He was also a practicing Clinical Optometrist and spent 5 years in charge of 30 staff in the busy Belfast high street practice. At the turn of the millenium, Brendan founded GetLenses.co.uk, sensing an ecommerce solution was a simpler way for wearers to buy contact lenses. Brendan joined Vision Direct in July 2012 when GetLenses.co.uk became part of the Vision Direct family.
At Vision Direct in his role as Chief Operating Officer, Brendan has helped us bring affordable contact lenses to more people. Utilising his expertise from his optometrist background he ensures we always sell popular brands at affordable prices whilst also ensuring we prioritise the health of our wearers eyes.
A member of the General Optical Council, Brendan has been published by the Huffington Post writing various posts about buying contact lenses online and he often represents Vision Direct in the media championing the benefits of contact lenses.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
" Honestly, my favourite part of the business has been working on improving our service to our customers, and seeing how we have managed to expand our offering across Europe and worldwide. It is very exciting to know that customers are placing orders on the Vision Direct website on the other side of the world and receiving them in the fastest possible time. "
Benjamin Dumaine, Head of Business Development
Benjamin graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree from the Institut Supérieur d’Optique, Lyon, before working as director and optometrist for a franchise of the respected french optical expert Alain Afflelou for almost 7 years.
In 2012 Benjamin became Purchasing Manager for AmexBV, a trading company of Vision Direct in the Netherlands. In this position he had responsibility for selecting an attractive inventory of vision care products to satisfy our customers eye care needs. He has also held the role of Head Optician at Vision Direct since 2012. In December 2014, Benjamin became Operations Manager in The Netherlands. He later moved to Head of Business Development for Europe. Keep an eye out for his clear expert advice on how to wear contacts safely and comfortably around the website.
What's your #1 eye care tip/advice?
" Apart from always purchasing your contact lenses from Vision Direct? Remember to wear your sunglasses both summer and winter. As we age, UV damage is one of the biggest challenges we can easily deal with. "
Yannick Roth, Director VisionDirect.fr
Yannick studied at the School of Optics Fizeau, graduating in 2009. He continued his education at the same institution receiving a CQP in Management and Marketing.
During his CQP training Yannick spent one year working for Optic Lab an independent optician. He then spent his second study year with Alain Afflelou - one of the most prestigious and long running opticians in France.
In 2010, he struck out alone founding VisiOOptiK. As a business to consumer contact lens website, Yannick thought he could provide a better solution than high street opticians. In 2012 he set up a sister company - SunOOptiK an online sunglasses e-tailer.
VisiOOptiK and SunOOptiK were both acquired by Vision Direct in 2015, Yannick now brings his optical and ecommerce expertise to us as the Director of VisionDirect.fr.
What advice would you give to an aspiring optometrist?
" To be passionate and to learn as much as possible, as the market is really competitive and is constantly moving. It’s also important to try to experience all the different facets of being an optometrist - clinical and retail. Find the aspect that really excites you the most and throw yourself into it. "
Carl Greatbanks, Specialist Contact Lens Consultant
Carl - or Contact Lens Carl as he is also known - is Vision Direct’s Specialist Contact Lens Consultant. With 13 years experience in optics, Carl started out as a part time optical assistant. While working 5 days a week, he studied at Bradford college and gained a FdSc in Ophthalmic Dispensing in 2015. Following graduation, Carl worked in a management position at Stockport before focussing his passion on the clinical aspect of optics.
Carl studied for his speciality in contact lenses at ABDO College and graduated in 2019. He spent 3 years working in a very busy contact lens practice, looking after a database of over 2000 patients. In 2020, he opened a dry eye clinic within the practice to give more time to those who struggled with the disease, but sadly, this was curtailed by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
At Vision Direct, Carl brings his wealth of contact lens knowledge and experience to the customer service team to further ensure that customers feel that they are receiving the same personalised treatment that they would have on the highstreet.
What's the best thing about being an optician?
" The difference we make to people’s lives. I often remember a lady in her 70s who was newly widowed. Since her husband’s death, she’d become lonely and wanted to wear contacts so she could take up tennis to meet new people, but she didn’t think she could. We had a chat and I fitted her with a daily disposable contact lens. I saw her every 12 months for a check up, and it was incredible to see how contacts had enabled her to make a positive change in her life. This is why I became an optician. "