Optoversity challenge raises £7,700 for VCHP

Optoversity challenge raises £7,700 for VCHP

Out of the Box Optics’s Optoversity Challenge has raised an impressive £7,700 for Vision Care for Homeless People at Sunday’s online event which saw City University students take top place.

In second place were students from UWE and third place went to Aston. Testing their knowledge against teams from eleven UK optometry schools, the 80 competing students had a lot of fun with quizzes, multiple choice questions and other challenges: extra points were awarded for speedy answers.

A host of generous optical companies were also able to engage with the students through some of the questions relating to current optical technology, diagnostics and therapeutics. Sponsorship, prizes and support were provided by:

ABDO College, Alcon, Altacor, Association of Optometrists, Birmingham Optical; Booth & Bruce, Brain Tumour Charity, College of Optometrists, Cooper Vision; Essilor, Haag-Streit, Heine, Hoya, IbisVision, iseek, Keeler; Lenstec, Locumkit, Millmead, Norville, RNIB; Scope Ophthalmics, Thea Pharma, Tokai, Topcon; VISUfarma, Volk Optical and Wolfe Eyewear

Out Of The Box Optics was delighted to top last year’s sum raised for VCHP – by more than £2,000, as North London optom Karmelo Modina who created the event, in partnership with

Gajan Singh, said, “Optoversity has proved to be a fantastic way to bring together optometry students and to help prepare them for working life in the best way possible. It has been fantastic to have even more of the optometry schools taking part this year.”

Vision Care for Homeless People – which will be re-opening its clinics as soon as it is safe to do so with rigorous PPE and patient and volunteer protection – has already allocated the funds, as General Manager, David Brown said, “Mindful of the need to keep everything as clean as we can in the clinics we are moving to tablets for patient records. It will reduce the paper being passed around and is a far better way for us to work. It is a tremendous boost to our efficiency…thank you Out Of the Box Optics!”

Mohammed Farin, who came top in the first year category, (pictured right) said , “Optoversity was a dynamic and thrilling event. I’d like to thank everyone who came together to organise it and importantly to Vision Care for Homeless People who provide eyecare to those that need it the most.

“I never thought I would win the quiz so to see my name rise to the top at the end came as a surprise! With the ret and ophthalmoscope, kindly provided by Keeler, I can progress within my journey of becoming an amazing optometrist!”

Pictured is Jenna Martin-Zahid, 3rd year student at City University who was part of the winning team. Jenna (top left) also won a Volk digital widefield lens, donated by Birmingham Optical.