Meet a Council Member: Rebecca Stoner 

Tell us a bit about yourself? 
I qualified as an Optometrist in 2008 and have spent most of my career working in high street practice and teaching undergraduate students. I’m currently part of a global training team, providing ophthalmic education across the globe. Away from optometry, I can be found walking the Yorkshire Dales with my Cocker Spaniel, Murphy.

Why did you join the BCLA?
I’ve always enjoyed working with contact lenses and appreciate the positive impact they can have on a patient. The BCLA provides a network of fellow clinicians with the same mindset, I can expand my knowledge and share leanings with other contact lens lovers!

What encouraged/inspired you to apply to be on BCLA Council?
When I applied to join council, I was teaching undergraduate students and realised they lacked enthusiasm for a subject I loved. As a (relatively!) young, female clinician, I wanted to be an ambassador for promoting contact lenses to this future generation.

Apart from the membership benefits, what else do you get from being a member of the BCLA?
The biggest thing for me is the opportunity to meet and socialise with a diverse group of like-minded individuals.

What is it like being a member of the BCLA council?
Although there is always work to be done, we’re a really close knit team that want to get things done. You can’t shut us up at council meetings!

What message would you like to give to members / non-members?
Without members, BCLA wouldn’t be the diverse, forward thinking community that it is today. We need every individual to be an ambassador and promote our cause.

What do you think will be the biggest change in contact lenses and the anterior eye over the next five years?
The war against Myopia has only just begun. I think the next five years will see us tackling growing numbers of young myopes looking for more options to slow their progression.

Biography

Rebecca graduated with a BSc in Optometry in 2007 from the University of Bradford. She worked for 10 years in high street practice, combining testing with clinical teaching of undergraduate students. In 2017, Rebecca joined Topcon Medical as a clinical affairs specialist. She recently moved to a position on the global education team. She is an active BCLA council member and sits on the North Yorkshire LOC committee.