‘Contact lenses at the centre of an eye health revolution’ – new BCLA chief excited for the future

‘Contact lenses at the centre of an eye health revolution’ – new BCLA chief excited for the future

The new chief executive of the BCLA has underlined his commitment to delivering “the very best contact lens and anterior eye care that the global public deserve”.

Brad Parkes, a qualified dispensing optician and contact lens optician, takes over from Luke Stevens-Burt, leading the BCLA into what he described as “an exciting and ambitious” new era.

A former director of two Specsavers stores between 1993 and 2022, Mr Parkes brings a wealth of sector experience to the role, as well as an in-depth understanding of groups such as the BCLA.

As the author of ‘Making Clubs Work’, Brad is passionate about membership organisations running successfully, and has shared his experiences with audiences around the globe.

He said: “This role is a perfect combination of two of my biggest passions; the work of our collective professions in providing the best eye care to the public, and the importance of membership organisations in bringing people together with shared vision, passions and skills for the greater good of our community and wider society.

“I am delighted to have been successful in securing this role and I look forward to building on the previous great work by Luke and Cheryl, working with individuals, teams and organisations from academic, scientific, industry and front line practitioners to deliver on the values, goals and aspirations of the BCLA, to provide the very best contact lens and anterior eye care that the global public deserve.

“This is an incredibly exciting time for both the profession and industry and I see contact lenses as being right at the centre of a global eye health revolution. With the advancements in AI technology and the potential for lenses to be used in the treatment of multiple health conditions, the possibilities are endless.

“The BCLA has a global reputation for being at the forefront of academic research and bringing that into everyday practice. That is something we will no doubt see in full force in Birmingham at this year’s Clinical Conference and Exhibition and I look forward to meeting everyone there.”

Brad takes over from Luke Stevens-Burt, who has departed the association after five years at the helm.

During his time as chief executive, Mr Stevens-Burt oversaw the delivery of the first two editions of BCLA CLEAR and a third set of papers, this time focusing on astigmatism, is now underway.

President Sarah Farrant said: “Luke has been a visionary leader for the BCLA who embraced the culture of change, innovation and continuous learning that lies at the heart of the association.

“We now look forward to Brad leading us into a bright new era. He is someone with huge passion and drive and his knowledge of both eye care and membership organisations gives us the opportunity to grow the BCLA even further around the world.”