International Opticians Association - IOA

14/08/2026

Steve Stenersen (New Zealand)-International Optician of the Year finalist.

A highly respected New Zealand dispensing optician, educator and practice owner, Steve has given enormously to the profession throughout his career. From generously providing hands-on practical teaching and mentorship to generations of students, to co-authoring the Australian and New Zealand Practical Optical Dispensing textbook, Steve’s influence extends across education, practice and professional standards.

A Life Member of ADONZ - Association of Dispensing Opticians of New Zealand, he continues to contribute to the advancement of dispensing opticianry through education, professional assessment and the ongoing development of scope of practice. Steve’s career is a remarkable example of leadership, generosity and lifelong service.

11/08/2026

Janine Santiago (Canada)-International Optician of the Year Finalist

Janine Santiago represents the very best of community-focused independent practice. Through Sun City Optics Surrey, she has created a patient-first model of care that combines professional excellence with accessibility and affordability, particularly for international students, newcomers to Canada and young families.

Her commitment extends well beyond the consulting room, with culturally relevant education and outreach designed to make eye health and eyewear more understandable and accessible. Recognised with the City of Surrey’s Young Entrepreneur Award, Janine exemplifies how entrepreneurship, advocacy and compassionate care can strengthen both the profession and the communities it serves.

02/08/2026

Karen Michaelson (United States of America)-International Optician of the Year finalist

With nearly five decades in eye care, Karen Michaelson continues to demonstrate how opticianry can evolve, connect and respond to emerging areas of need. Her work through Eyes on Dementia has brought vision care, dementia awareness, traumatic brain injury and cognitive change into an important and growing professional conversation.

A Dementia Friends Champion Team Trainer, volunteer, professional leader and advocate, Karen also supports Special Olympics Minnesota Healthy Athletes and serves in leadership roles across the profession. Recognised by Vision Monday among its Most Influential Women of 2026, Karen’s career reflects a lifelong commitment to education, compassion and professional service.

27/07/2026

Martyn Howlett (United Kingdom)-International Optician of the Year Finalist

Martyn Howlett has dedicated his expertise to some of the patients who need skilled dispensing care most. As Senior Dispensing Optician and Team Lead at SeeAbility, he works with children and young people with learning disabilities, autism and complex needs, developing highly individualised approaches that improve spectacle acceptance and successful wear.

Named Dispensing Optician of the Year in 2024, Martyn is also an educator, speaker and passionate advocate for the role of dispensing opticians within multidisciplinary care. His work demonstrates the profound difference that expertise, innovation and truly individualised care can make to patients and their families.

25/07/2026

Jessica Gowing (United Kingdom)-International Optician of the Year Finalist

Jessica Gowing has dedicated her career to improving the lives of children through expert paediatric dispensing. As Senior Dispensing Optician at Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital in London, she combines exceptional technical expertise with a deep understanding of the unique needs of growing children and their families.

Jess has a specialist interest in fitting spectacles for children with craniofacial conditions and other complex facial differences, often incorporating innovative technologies such as 3D printing to create bespoke frames where conventional spectacles cannot provide an adequate fit.

Alongside her clinical work, she is a passionate educator, regularly delivering workshops and teaching sessions for ophthalmic professionals. Her commitment to innovation, education and outstanding patient-centred care exemplifies the very best of specialist dispensing.

21/07/2026

Cira Collins (United States)-International Optician of the Year Finalist

Educator, mentor and self-described “opticianry futurist”, Cira Collins brings an infectious sense of possibility to the profession. Combining scientific curiosity, emerging technology and business insight, she challenges opticians to think not only about where the profession is today, but where it might go next.

Through leadership, education and mentorship, including her work with the American Board of Opticianry and GoodVision USA, Cira has inspired countless professionals to embrace innovation while maintaining the highest standards of patient care. Her vision for the future of opticianry continues to influence the profession internationally.

18/07/2026

The 2026 edition of Silmo Paris is just a few months away, and show organizers are reporting strong engagement as the show continues to expand, with 90 percent of the exhibition space already booked. In addition, the show will welcome nearly 900 exhibitors and more than 1,500 brands, representing over 40 countries including France, Italy, Germany, Spain, the United States, Japan, Korea, China and more.

See more: https://buff.ly/s0M3neA

17/07/2026

Congratulations to the following finalists in the IOA International Optician of the Year Award. From left to right, top to bottom:

Cira Collins (United States of America)
Jessica Gowing (United Kingdom)
Martyn Howlett (United Kingdom)
Karen Michaelson (United States of America)
Janine Santiago (Canada)
Steve Stenersen (New Zealand)

We will be posting individual bios over the next few weeks. Congratulations!

30/06/2026

Have you checked out the CLEAR conference yet? Have a read of this article by mivision and register at https://clearconference.com.au

https://mivision.com.au/2026/06/clear-conference-2026-shifting-the-focus/

The Academy of Advanced Ophthalmic Optics (AAOO) will host the Clinical Lens Education and Research Conference, (CLEAR Conference 2026) at the Pullman Sydney Airport from 24–25 October 2026.

24/05/2026

There’s still time to register, see link below.

Progressive addition lenses (PALs) are traditionally described using a three-zone model: distance, intermediate, and near. While clinically convenient, this framework introduces a conceptual error by implying the existence of a discrete intermediate region with defined optical function. In reality,....