Advertising Promotion

PETER and Jan Oswald are celebrating 25 years in business.

The pair took over a Yorke Peninsula optometry practice in July 1997.

“I was initially enquiring about Paul Brown’s practice in Port Pirie which was for sale,” Mr Oswald said.

“However, we decided to also look at his two day a week visiting practice in Kadina.

“It was 46 degrees and Kadina was like an oasis in the desert that day but we persuaded him to sell the Kadina (practice) instead and commenced on July 7, 1997.

“When I started, we only operated the Minlaton practice one day a week on a Friday and now we serve our southern Yorke Peninsula clients five days a week.”

From 1997 to 2008, Mr Oswald was an independent optometrist and said he enjoyed his time very much.

“However, nothing stays the same forever,” he said.

“When Specsavers invited me to join their group it proved to be an excellent move.

“As an independent you cannot compete price-wise with the larger players.

“So the business remains owned by Jan and myself but we have access to a much more competitively priced frame and lens range for everyone’s benefit on Yorke Peninsula.

“Specsavers’ vision is to passionately provide best value eyecare to everyone simply, clearly and consistently, exceeding customer expectations every time.”

Mr Oswald said there had been many changes in optometry across the years.

“Changes in optometry include optometrists permitted to prescribe medications and the equipment,” he said.

“The Humphrey Visual Field Analyser has been continually refined and our new models have the latest tests.

“Ocular Coherence Tomography (OCT) was a game changer — it became so easy to show patients the backs of their eyes with macular degeneration or macular holes, rather than describing it or drawing diagrams.

“This is provided free with every eye check.

“Lenses have also improved and are continually improving all the time.

“When I first started, if you wanted a lens to go dark outside — glass was the only choice. Now no one uses glass anymore and plastic lenses can change colour.”

Changes are also visible at the premises, with Mr Oswald purpose-building and refitting the practice four times in the past 25 years.

Specsavers are also preferred providers with a number of health funds.

Specsavers Kadina is open 9am-5pm Monday to Friday, and 9am until noon on Saturdays.

The Minlaton practice is open 9am-5pm Monday to Friday.

Community minded and driven

Local businesses thrive when they are community-minded and driven.

Peter Oswald said the community had been fantastic supporters of Specsavers, from their loyal patients to the businesses they deal with on a daily basis.

“We’ve had many personal and professional highlights across our 25 years,” he said.

“These include our twins being born (now aged 23) and the two Sydney Swans premierships in 2005 and 2012.

“We have had many loyal staff with half a dozen staying for more than 10 years.

“We have also had seven staff go on and complete the official optical dispensing qualification and one has become an orthoptist.

“It is great to see these young people blossom not just here on Yorke Peninsula but sometimes when they move on (all around Australia).”

Optometry is still a relatively new course in South Australian tertiary settings but Mr Oswald has been a strong supporter of graduates.

“We offered scholarships early on to attract optometrists to the Copper Coast,” he said.

“We still support the Flinders University Optometry students by offering them placements.”

Mr Oswald is heavily involved in the community and believes giving back is important.

“I was District Governor for Kadina Apex and in my second term as president of the Northern YP Rotary Club,” he said.

“I am also an elected member of the Copper Coast Council — an area where I felt I can give back and help the community.”

Specsavers Kadina currently employs 16 staff, including experienced optometrist Brooke Daws and manager Rebecca Rich, while Rachel Goodes manages the Minlaton practice.

“You can’t do much without your staff and mine are terrific,” Mr Oswald said.

“Jan (Oswald) recently retired from being the bookkeeper after 25 years as well.

“We did a staff bonding session in Adelaide with an axe-throwing afternoon — so I now know who not to mess with — some of them are very good at throwing axes!”