New BCLA President – ‘Research offers opportunity to make a truly global impact on eye care’

New BCLA President – ‘Research offers opportunity to make a truly global impact on eye care’

An international expert in therapeutics and dry eye management has been confirmed as the new President of the British Contact Lens Association, succeeding the outgoing Rakesh Kapoor.

Sarah Farrant formally took over as President following the BCLA’s AGM on Wednesday, 5 June.

Sarah, who represents the UK as an Ambassador for the Tear Film and Ocular Surface Society (TFOS), previously sat on the council for the College of Optometrists for 12 years and served as chair of the Somerset Local Optical Committee.

She has been instrumental in several local and national initiatives to improve access to education amongst the profession and access to eye care for patients. She lectures extensively across the UK and also internationally and regularly teaches other optometrists across the country.

Sarah will serve a one-year term and will be followed by president-elect Byki Huntjens.

She said: “Having the chance to lead this wonderful Association is a huge honour and I am really looking forward to rolling my sleeves up and getting stuck in over the next 12 months.

“I am fortunate to be serving as President at what is an incredibly exciting time for the BCLA. The publication of the BCLA CLEAR™ Presbyopia papers gives us an opportunity to have a truly global impact on everyday practice. The findings in this extensive research will help shape the way optometrists around the world treat presbyopic patients and will influence future technologies to treat this ever-growing condition.”

Outgoing President Rakesh Kapoor thanked members for their support during his tenure, which included overseeing events including the BCLA clinical conference and exhibition and BCLA Asia.

He said: “Serving as BCLA President has undoubtedly been one of the biggest privileges of my career and I am delighted to be handing over the reins to someone as highly regarded as Sarah, who will continue our work to cement the BCLA’s position as a global leader in contact lenses and the anterior eye.”

The Presidential handover was completed during the BCLA’s AGM, held ahead of a webinar presented by Aldo Zucaro and Sarah Smith examining the issue of sustainability in contact lenses, giving insights from the perspective of both patients and manufacturers.