AOP honours Trevor Warburton with Lifetime Achievement Award

AOP honours Trevor Warburton with Lifetime Achievement Award

Optometrist and former AOP Chairman Trevor Warburton has been recognised with a prestigious national award for his contribution to optics.

With a career that has spanned five decades, Mr Warburton has been announced the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the Association of Optometrists (AOP), and sponsored by Alcon, at the ‘All together – an evening with the AOP’ celebratory event on 24 April on the Sunborn Yacht, London.

Having played a critical role in the development of the extended clinical services delivered by optometry that are common today, Mr Warburton, said he was honoured to be the recipient of this award, explaining: “It is nice to feel that your contribution is recognised.”

Speaking about the stand-out moments in his career, Mr Warburton said: “I always felt that chairing the AOP was the pinnacle of the profession. In a personal achievement sense, it is a highlight.”

Mr Warburton went on to say he was interested in optometry from an early age but that it was being able to give something back that has kept him motivated throughout his career. “I think that 15-year-old me made the right choice. I have had what today they term a portfolio career. It keeps you interested. I was fulltime in the consulting room for the first 15 years of my career, but I needed more. For some people, that is another practice, but for me it became something else – I wanted the opportunity to give back.”

Mr Warburton acquired his first optometric practice in Stockport, Greater Manchester just 18 months after qualifying. In 1982 he joined his Local Optometric Committee, later becoming Committee Chairman before taking up a director role at the AOP, and then as AOP Chairman between 2006–2008.

The AOP’s Lifetime Achievement accolade recognises a person who has dedicated their career to promoting and expanding the role of optics. The recipient of the award is selected by the AOP’s Chairman of the Board, Dr Julie-Anne Little, and AOP Chief Executive, Adam Sampson.

On presenting the accolade, Dr Little said she was delighted to be giving this special award to “someone who has been a pivotal player in driving the profession forward, and who has made such an important contribution to the AOP.” She added: “Trevor continues to support practitioners in his role as director of primary eyecare and in tutoring the young optometrists coming through the profession now.”