Trine Johnsen is a trained optometrist with over ten years’ experience in optometry practices, including five years running her own locum business. Trine knows her way around the eye care industry – not only in her home country of Norway, but also further afield. She obtained her master’s degree in optometry in Australia and has worked with universities in both Oslo and Valencia, looking at the effects of antioxidants on ocular inflammation, and growing corneal epithelium from limbal stem cells.

Trine’s passion for optometry and education led her to Specsavers more than fifteen years ago. She established the Professional Learning & Development department in the Nordic countries and the Specsavers Academy in Norway. Now, she’s Head of Professional Advancement in Norway, dedicated to building the professional reputation of Specsavers in particular, and the optometry industry in general – so that customers get high-quality eye care.

Tor Paaske Utheim is a professor with expertise in innovation, ophthalmology, biochemistry, and computer science, holding positions at several universities including the University of Oslo and King’s College London.

He serves as a consultant at six hospitals across Norway, where he also leads research and innovation initiatives. At Oslo University Hospital, Tor heads both the Unit of Regenerative Medicine and the Unit of Research-based Innovation. He co-founded the Norwegian Dry Eye Clinic and the Institute of Eye Health in Oslo. In 2012, he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to Harvard Medical School and, in 2013, appointed as an Adjunct Clinical Associate.

He’s recognised with over twenty academic awards, including the Medinnova’s Innovation Award, the European Society of Ophthalmology Award for most promising Norwegian Young Clinician/Researcher (2012), the Oslo University Hospital Early Career Award for outstanding research, and the highest distinction awarded by the Norwegian Society of Ophthalmology; the Hjalmar Schiøtz award.

Tor has been ranked among Norway’s top scientists by publication points and has supervised 44 PhD students. He frequently moderates and speaks on various topics in ophthalmology. He represents Norway as a Global Ambassador for The Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society and is a board member of the International Ocular Surface Society.

Professor Bruce Evans is a community optometrist and Visiting Professor at City St George’s, University of London, London South Bank University, and University of Milano-Bicocca. From 1998-2023, he was Director of Research at the Institute of Optometry, and he’s a Fellow of College of Optometrists, American Academy of Optometry, European Academy of Optometry, and British Contact Lens Association.

He’s authored more than 275 scientific and professional papers, ten editions of optometric textbooks, over 145 presentations at scientific conferences, and over 250 invited CPD lectures. His main areas of research are myopia control, dyslexia and vision, orthoptics, children’s vision, headaches, contact lenses, and computer vision syndrome.

In 2022, he was awarded Life Fellow of the College of Optometrists in recognition of outstanding contribution to the optometric profession, and in 2023 a Lifetime Achievement Award of the Association of Optometrists.

Kine Høiby, an optometrist at Specsavers in Trondheim, has a keen interest in the topic of dry eyes. She’s recently obtained a master’s degree from the University of South-Eastern Norway, exploring age- and sex-related variations in meibomian gland dropout and clinical dry eye parameters among an asymptomatic sample. The study is part of an on-going research project conducted by the planned Norwegian Innovation Consortium for Advanced Tear Film Analyses (NICATA), consisting of Oslo University Hospital, Sørlandet Hospital Arendal, Oslo Metropolitan University and the Norwegian Dry Eye Clinic.

Kine obtained her bachelor’s degree from the University of South-Eastern Norway in 2020, and as a student member of the RETHOS project group (2018-2019), she was involved in developing guidelines for the Norwegian optometrist education.

Tone Marit Nagel is an optometrist at Specsavers in Larvik, interested in dry eye and eye diseases. She’s recently obtained a master’s degree, exploring screentime and meibomian gland dropout and screentime and clinical dry eye tests in asymptomatic persons. Her master’s degree is part of an on-going study conducted by the Norwegian Innovation Consortium for Advanced Tear Film Analysis (NICATA), consisting of Oslo University Hospital (OUS), Sørlandet Hospital, Oslo Metropolitan university and the Norwegian Dry Eye clinic.

Tone Marit obtained her bachelor’s degree from Kongsberg in 2008 and proceeded to complete a contact lens course in 2012.

Trond-Viggo Torgersen, a well-known Norwegian General Practitioner, TV host, author, and artist, combines his medical expertise and creative talent to deliver engaging health education to the public. Since 1975, Trond-Viggo has worked for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK), and he’s particularly renowned for medical series like Halvsju, Kroppen, and Nesten voksen. A published author of several books, his 2021 book, The Mature Body, became a Norwegian bestseller. He occasionally works with Mari Garås Monsson, his co-speaker at the Clinical Conference, both on stage and in the radio.

Interested in communication and pedagogy, Trond-Viggo also teaches patient communication to medical students at the University of Bergen. From 1989 to 1995, he served as Norway’s Children’s Commissioner.

Mari Garås Monsson, a TV and radio host and journalist, specialises in presenting music, culture, and human-interest topics with the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK). Curious of life and what lies within us, she strives to create encounters that truly matter, and she’s driven to produce engaging and diverse content for live broadcasting. Mari occasionally works with Trond-Viggo, her co-speaker at the Clinical Conference, both on stage and in the radio.

While she thrives in the excitement of the red broadcasting light, Mari’s also passionate about traveling, Norwegian nature, concerts and festivals, meaningful relationships, and the TV series “Der ingen skulle tru at nokon kunne bu.”

Richard Rui-Hangaas is a Norwegian optometrist and Professional Affairs Manager at CooperVision, where he plays a key role in driving clinical education and professional support across the Nordic region. With years of experience in optometric practice and the contact lens industry, Richard focuses on translating scientific research and product innovation into real-world clinical value.

He collaborates with practitioners through training sessions, presentations, and hands-on support to enhance patient care and optimise contact lens fitting. His approach emphasises both clinical precision and patient-centred care, making him a respected contributor to the development of best practices in modern optometry.

Elaine Corrigan is a Clinical Optometrist who graduated from Dublin’s Institute of Technology in Optometry in 2016. She worked in Specsavers Limerick and multiple independently owned practices, expanding her patient experience, before joining the Wellington Eye Clinic in Dublin in 2021. She has completed a variety of Professional Certificates through Cardiff University and the University of Sheffield including Medical Retina, Glaucoma and Refractive Surgery.

After undergoing LASIK surgery at the Wellington Eye Clinic in 2017, she was delighted to join their team to be able to help other people achieve life changing vision improvement. Elaine enjoys being able to closely collaborate with Ophthalmologists Mr. Arthur Cummings and Mr. Brendan Cummings and learn from their expertise. She has a passion for teaching and aims to expand the scope of knowledge for other Optometrists.

Oleg Pavlukovskis is the General Manager of ProCornea Spesiallinser. He graduated as an optician from HIBU in 2012 and has since developed his expertise, specialising in lenses in 2013 and completing a course on dry eyes in 2015.

Oleg has attended courses in Norway and abroad to enhance his knowledge of special lenses, dietary supplements, and treatment of dry eyes. Since 2016, he has been part of ProCornea, where professional insight and leadership are combined to promote innovation and quality within optician expertise.

Jon V. B. Gjelle is an optometrist with a Master of Science in Optometry and Visual Science. Specialising in general practice, his expertise covers ocular biometry, refractive development, visual field testing, and the application of evidence-based practices.

Since joining Specsavers in 2014 as an optometrist in Oslo, Jon has been dedicated to advancing the field of optometry. From 2015 to 2018, he focused on academia, engaging in teaching and research in Norway. When he returned to Specsavers, he joined the Professional Learning and Development team in Northern Europe. He’s currently part of the Professional Advancement team, where he oversees regional clinical risk, quality, and performance.

Jon also holds the position of Head of the Professional Committee at the Norwegian Optometry Association, where he continues to contribute to the profession’s growth and development.

Allow us to introduce Lise Hofman, a certified trainer, optician, and contact lens specialist. She’s passionate about helping people reach for the stars, enhancing their skills, and caring for both their personal and professional development. Her motto? Work step by step towards a clear goal. With her technical expertise and talent for coaching, she enables professionals to grow in their field.

Arjan de Graaf is an optometrist with over 18 years of experience in optics. He began optician training in 2006 and pursued optometry training in 2010, obtaining his degree in optometry four years later.

Arjan has broad experience from working at an optical store (2006 – 2012) and an ophthalmology outpatient clinic at a hospital. A skilled lecturer, he has five years of experience teaching optometry at the University of Applied Sciences Utrecht and has previously taught on an optician training programme.

Dr. Marko Lukic, Ph.D. FEBO FASRS, is a Consultant Ophthalmologist affiliated with Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, specialising in retina and uveitis. He co-led the development of virtual clinics at Moorfields South and completed two fellowships in medical retina. A Ph.D. graduate from the University of Split, he’s a Fellow of the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) and active in EURETINA, ARVO, and ASRS. His research focuses on real-world data in retinal disease and AI.

Dr. Lukic lectures at the University of Zagreb and University College London, leads Vision Care and European Medical Consultants, advises MedTech firms, and is CMO at Ascento CDA.

Linda Janssen is an optometrist with over 23 years of experience working in optics. Linda became an optometrist in 2011 and has spent nine years as a Partner at Specsavers, growing her expertise in eye care and entrepreneurship.

Now, Linda works as Clinical Performance Consultant in Optics, using her experience to support her colleagues and help raise the standard of eye care even further.

Bas Franck is a Clinical Physicist-Audiologist with a degree in mathematics and physics (acoustics). He conducted his doctoral research at the Academic Medical Center (AMC) in Amsterdam, which resulted in his dissertation titled “Hearing Aid Fitting in Interaction,” and he went on to train as a clinical physicist-audiologist at the University Medical Center in Utrecht under the supervision of Bert van Zanten.

Bas has worked at several audiological centres, including Kentalis in The Hague, Pento in Hengelo, Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen, and most recently, at Auris in Rotterdam. He currently also serves as Medical Manager at Auris Rotterdam.

Farah Amara works as Professional Advancement Manager at Specsavers in the Netherlands. With a background as an optometrist and experience as a Clinical Performance Consultant, she focuses on helping optometrists grow in their role and deliver great care. She’s passionate about making clinical development practical, fun, and meaningful. Farah is known for her energy, fresh ideas, and her love for connecting with people – always aiming to make a real impact for both professionals and customers.

Marcel Pomper entered the hearing industry in 1993, and he’s been passionate about improving the quality of life for people with hearing loss ever since. He believes that enhancing their quality of life begins with uncovering the personal and unique needs and wishes of each customer – and driven by this passion, he has spent over ten years developing programs and training hearing care professionals in structuring and conducting intake conversations with the goal of optimising the customer experience and improve organisational performance.

Introducing Lena Petersson Lindeli, an experienced optometrist with a focus on binocular vision dysfunction. With more than two decades of practice, she has collaborated closely with paediatric ophthalmologists and orthoptists in both optician stores and eye clinics. Furthering her expertise, she pursued additional education in binocular vision dysfunction and obtained a master’s degree in clinical optometry. Currently, she mentors optometry students at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm and helps clients with binocular vision issues at Se & Synas in Alvik. Additionally, she shares her knowledge through lectures alongside optometrist Therese Westerlund at Samsynskonsulterna.

Dr. Emad Abu Ishkheidem is a consultant ophthalmologist at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden, with a special focus on medical retina. He’s a fellow of the European Board of Ophthalmology (FEBO) and an active speaker at national and international meetings. Dr. Emad is passionate about education, innovation, and improving patient care through advanced imaging and newly emerging treatments in retinal diseases.

Niklas Göransson graduated as an optometrist from Karolinska Institutet in 2015 and pursued further studies in diagnostic optometry at the same university in 2019. Since graduating, Niklas has been working at Specsavers Uppsala, where he holds medical and clinical responsibility. He conducts daily eye examinations, eye health examinations, contact lens fittings, and addresses binocular vision issues, including prism testing, accommodation problems, and cycloplegic refraction. Niklas collaborates with a skilled team of clinical assistants to perform assisted refraction eye examinations.

Additionally, he’s served as a guest lecturer and examiner for the clinical assistant training programme at Karolinska Institutet. In 2023, Niklas was honoured with the title “Optician of the Year” at the Specsavers Awards in Sweden.

Jane Ege Møller, MA, PhD, is Associate Professor at the Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Denmark, and Academic Lead of postgraduate communication skills training for residents in the Central Denmark Region. She chairs tEACH, the teaching committee of EACH, the International Association for Communication in Healthcare.

With a background in literature, communication, and philosophy, she has more than 20 years of experience in teaching and research in health communication and medical education across pre- and postgraduate contexts.