Nancy Liao (second from left) with OPSM Whangarei colleagues Bethany, Aorist and Melanie

Many young optometrists wonder about working in a regional practice, so Nancy Liao, an optometrist with OPSM Whangarei, agreed to share her story and provide some insight.

Throughout my BOptom university degree placements, I had the opportunity to work in several regions, including Wellington, Hastings and Palmerston North. It was during these placements that I discovered my passion for working in regional areas. The experience of serving communities where eyecare is often in short supply has been invaluable and I have come to truly appreciate the impact we can have on individuals’ health and lives in these areas.

My full-time working journey began in Masterton, the small town I moved to as a new graduate, together with a good friend from university. The transition was both daunting and rewarding. OPSM Masterton was one of only three local optometry practices and, at that time, the town had just one visiting ophthalmologist. The patient demographic was predominantly geriatric which, as a new graduate, was both overwhelming and eye-opening. However, I was fortunate to have a supportive team and it didn’t take long before I adapted to my new environment and began to enjoy its challenges, of which there were many. From removing foreign bodies to managing recurring uveitis, I faced a wide array of different cases, including retinal detachments, acute angle-closure glaucoma and arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (AAION). The frequent emergency cases kept me on my toes and enabled me to rapidly develop my clinical skills. This was a community where patient education also really mattered. I vividly remember one patient who had chronic anterior uveitis due to neglecting symptoms. However, after treating him, when he had a recurrence, he knew to seek prompt help so we could deal with it quickly.

The most rewarding aspect of working in a smaller town, however, was the ability to build strong, trusting relationships with my patients. It was heartwarming to see familiar faces return, many of whom referred family members and friends for eye tests too.

In my second year after graduating, I decided to challenge myself further by joining the Luxottica National Relief Team, enabling me to continue to be a full-time paid optometrist while travelling around the country. The experience allowed me to travel to different regions in New Zealand with limited optometry coverage, where I faced different patient demographics. This role is unique because it offers a fresh experience in each area, working with different teams in different environments. It’s rewarding to take on new challenges which allow you to adapt to new settings, to help more patients and continue to grow professionally. Plus there’s the not-insignificant bonus of being able to explore new restaurants and scenery after work and on weekends.

Nancy Liao outside the OPSM Whangarei store

Being part of the National Relief Team was incredibly fulfilling, especially when I discovered I was helping to cover some practices which had gone without an optometrist for months. I was always struck by how appreciative the local communities were, which made the experience even more rewarding and there were many interesting cases that were very memorable. One was a 49-year-old patient who had been vigorously increasing his over-the-counter readers’ strength for his worsening distance vision, thinking it was just ‘normal ageing’. With entering vision of 6/30 that did not improve with pinhole, he actually had bilateral chronic angle closure glaucoma with severe cupping in both eyes. This unfortunate case highlights how important regular eye exams and patient education are. I also observed how loyal regional patients are, with many traveling hours to come to the store having been with the same practice for decades, even after relocating many miles away. This shows the deep impact we as optometrists can have on people’s lives.

After covering 15 stores in 11 months, from Dunedin in the south to Whangarei in the north, I decided to settle in Whangarei - one of my favourite stores where I spent the longest time. Whangarei has fewer than 100,000 people and our OPSM store is the northernmost in the country. With only three local optometry practices in the area, we serve patients who often travel over two hours to visit us. Our team is passionate and genuinely wants to provide excellent care and our patient base has been incredibly loyal. For example, I remember one patient who came in for contact lens aftercare, frustrated because she felt her monovision lenses weren’t correct for reading. To our surprise, there was a macula-involving branch retinal vein occlusion on her reading eye. Since then, she and her husband have both become regular customers.

One of the biggest advantages of working in a regional store is the ability to develop genuine relationships with your patients, who often know you by name. When my family came to visit recently they bumped into a couple in town and mentioned they were visiting their daughter. When asked by the couple where I worked and were told OPSM, the couple responded, “OPSM – Nancy, the optometrist?” demonstrating the care and trust you can build with patients in regional locations and how you can become part of the local community.

To find out more about working with OPSM across New Zealand, please visit: www.opsm.co.nz/careers/optometry