The Right Optics podcast is brought to you by Silmo, the leading eyewear and optics trade show. Now into its sixth series, ahead of Silmo 2025, broadcaster Nick Coffer interviews key personalities from the optics world. Hear their stories, their passion for optics and their insight into the industry. Please do follow this series in order to get notified of new episodes. Silmo runs from September 26-29, at Parc des Expositions, Villepinte, Paris. To find out more, and to book your ticket, head to www.silmoparis.com, and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @silmoparis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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August 24, 202637 min
International Optician of the Year 2026: The Finalists – Part Two
Nick Coffer meets the remaining three finalists for the 2026 International Optician of the Year Award. Karen Michaelson discusses the deeply personal story behind her work exploring vision and cognitive change; Martyn Howlett shares how SeeAbility is transforming eye care for children with learning disabilities; and Canada's Janine Santiago-Nagi explains how she's making professional eye care more accessible to the multicultural communities she serves. Together, they complete our introduction to the six opticians hoping to be named as International Optician of the Year at Silmo Paris. A conversation about dementia, learning disabilities, accessible eye care – and the many different ways great opticianry can change lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 16, 202645 min
International Optician of the Year 2026: The Finalists – Part One
In the first of two special episodes, Nick Coffer meets three of the six finalists for the 2026 International Optician of the Year Award. Jessica Gowing shares her remarkable work in specialist paediatric dispensing at Great Ormond Street Hospital; New Zealand's Steve Stenersen reflects on more than three decades of craftsmanship, teaching and patient care; and American Master Optician Cira Collins explains why she calls herself an “optical futurist”. Plus, Elaine Grisdale from the International Opticians Association talks about this year's shortlist and the remarkable diversity, passion and soul of all the nominees. A conversation about extraordinary dispensing, the craft and future of opticianry, and three very different careers united by a determination to make a difference. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 10, 202643 min
André Leal // From Family Legacy to a New Vision for Optical Retail
In this episode of The Right Optics by SILMO , Nick Coffer meets André Leal , the second generation behind André Opticas, one of Portugal’s best-known independent optical businesses. André’s parents were just 19 and 20 when they took the extraordinary gamble of buying their first store in 1981 - only four months after André himself was born. What followed was 15 years without a holiday and a determination to seek out eyewear and ideas from across Europe that simply weren’t available in Portugal. André literally grew up in the business, eventually working his way through every department before taking on its leadership. Today, André Opticas has six stores and around 70 people, combining optometry with independent eyewear, restoration, bespoke frame-making and remarkable retail design. Nick and André talk about family, craftsmanship, the award-winning Chiado store, why eyewear can be a “functional sculpture”, and why André believes the future of independent optics lies not in competing with AI and automation, but in doubling down on expertise, experience and human connection. A warm and inspiring chat about family, ambition, beautiful eyewear, extraordinary spaces and the enduring power of human connection in optics. https://www.silmoparis.com/en Silmo Paris - 25th - 28th September, Paris Villepinte Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 17, 202632 min
Rebecca Thompson // Why Great Frames Don't Sell Themselves
Nick Coffer sits down with eyewear stylist, dispensing optician, consultant and writer Rebecca Thompson to explore one of the biggest missed opportunities in the optical industry: what happens after a frame reaches the practice. The industry invests huge amounts of time and money into sell-in - convincing practices to stock a brand. But Rebecca argues that the real opportunity lies in sell-through : helping practices tell compelling stories, build confidence and create meaningful connections between eyewear and the people who wear it. Together, they discuss: Why getting stocked is only half the battle. The power of storytelling over discounting. Why practices often recommend only a handful of the brands they stock. How behavioural science influences every eyewear purchase. Why confidence – in products, people and conversations – drives better outcomes. The opportunities hiding between suppliers, practices and customers. Drawing on experience across almost every part of the optical industry, Rebecca offers practical insights for brands, independent practices and anyone interested in how great products become great customer experiences. Find out more about Silmo 2026 at www.silmoparis.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 17, 202626 min
[FR] Sécheresse oculaire : la maladie qui peut bouleverser une vie
La plupart d'entre nous considèrent la sécheresse oculaire comme une simple irritation passagère. Pourtant, lorsqu'elle n'est pas prise en charge, cette maladie peut avoir des conséquences profondes sur le confort, la vision et la qualité de vie. Dans cet épisode du The Right Optics by SILMO, Nick Coffer reçoit Thibaud Syre, cofondateur d'AlpesVision à Grenoble et expert reconnu des lentilles de contact spécialisées, pour explorer une pathologie qui touche des millions de personnes mais reste encore trop souvent mal comprise. Ensemble, ils abordent les mécanismes de la sécheresse oculaire, les différences entre les formes quantitatives et qualitatives, l'impact des écrans sur nos yeux, le rôle de l'inflammation et les solutions aujourd'hui disponibles pour prévenir ou soulager les symptômes. Au cours de la conversation, Thibaud partage également des exemples marquants issus de sa pratique clinique qui illustrent à quel point cette affection peut devenir invalidante lorsqu'elle est négligée. Un épisode essentiel pour les professionnels de la vision qui souhaitent mieux comprendre, dépister et accompagner les patients confrontés à cette maladie souvent sous-estimée. Invité : Thibaud Syre, cofondateur d'AlpesVision à Grenoble, spécialiste des lentilles de contact sur mesure, de l'orthokératologie et des lentilles sclérales Plus d'info: Silmo Academy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 29, 202630 min
Hayley Brunsden // Vision, Courage and the Art of Starting From Scratch
This week we leave the studio for the Georgian high street of Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire, where Hayley Brunsden has built something quietly extraordinary. CBTR Opticians opened three years ago, won two national awards in its first two years, and has become the kind of boutique practice that clients travel for. Hayley's story involves a motorway diversion, a Watford FC football match, and a to-let sign spotted at exactly the right moment. It involves pitching one of the world's most prestigious lens manufacturers before she had a single wall painted, talking her way onto the books of fiercely protective eyewear brands at SILMO with little more than a clear vision, and when a Swiss brand said no to supplying their glasses to the UK, going straight to the MD and asking again. But this conversation is really about something harder to define: what it takes to build a practice that feels genuinely personal. From the pre-appointment survey that asks whether you're sweet or savoury, to handpicking a small number of independent brands whose stories she can tell with real conviction, Hayley has thought carefully about every detail of the experience she's created. Warm, funny, and admirably relentless, this is one of those episodes that will leave you wondering why more people don't just go ahead and create their own business. https://www.cbtropticians.com/ https://www.instagram.com/cbtropticians/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 8, 202634 min
[FR] L'Œil et l'Autre : quand l'optique devient une mission humaine
Dans l'industrie de l'optique, la basse vision est souvent mentionnée... mais rarement expliquée dans toute sa profondeur. Que se passe-t-il réellement quand une personne perd progressivement la vue - et qu'elle se retrouve face à un système de santé qui ne sait pas toujours quoi lui proposer ? Dans cet épisode de The Right Optics by SILMO, Nick Coffer reçoit Fabienne Vulliez-Ladava, opticienne spécialisée en déficience visuelle et fondatrice de L'Œil et l'Autre . Formée en France et au Canada, elle a construit une pratique entièrement dédiée à l'accompagnement des personnes malvoyantes - à la fois sur le plan technique et sur le plan humain. L'épisode met en lumière une réalité souvent ignorée : en France, on estime à plusieurs millions le nombre de personnes déficientes visuelles, et pourtant elles restent largement mal reconnues, mal orientées, et insuffisamment accompagnées. Ce n'est pas tant la technologie qui fait défaut - loupes, filtres thérapeutiques, systèmes microscopiques et télescopiques existent - mais l'organisation autour de la personne, et le temps qu'on lui consacre. La discussion aborde également le rôle des aidants, trop souvent laissés sans explications sur la pathologie de leurs proches, ainsi que l'importance d'un réseau pluridisciplinaire réunissant ophtalmologistes, orthoptistes, ergothérapeutes et associations. Fabienne évoque aussi son engagement au sein du CNOF pour faire évoluer la formation des opticiens, et son ambition de voir le métier reconnu à la hauteur de ce qu'il peut apporter. Un échange à la fois très concret et profondément humain, sur un enjeu de santé publique majeur - et sur la manière dont l'optique peut choisir de se définir autrement. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
March 11, 202625 min
[FR] Recycler les lunettes : un défi industriel, économique et environnemental
Dans l’industrie de l’optique, la question du recyclage des lunettes est souvent évoquée… mais rarement expliquée concrètement. Que devient réellement une paire de lunettes lorsqu’elle arrive en fin de vie ? Dans cet épisode de The Right Optics by SILMO , Nick Coffer reçoit Dominique Royet , experte RSE dans le secteur de l’optique, et Julien Tremblin, directeur général Europe de TerraCycle , entreprise spécialisée dans le recyclage de déchets complexes. Ensemble, ils explorent les défis très concrets liés au recyclage des lunettes : une paire peut contenir plusieurs matériaux différents - plastiques, métaux, verre ou polycarbonate - dont la séparation constitue le véritable défi industriel. L’épisode met en lumière une réalité souvent méconnue : ce n’est pas tant la faisabilité technique du recyclage qui pose problème, mais son modèle économique. Sans volumes suffisants et sans organisation de collecte, ces matériaux finissent trop souvent incinérés ou oubliés dans des tiroirs. La discussion aborde également le rôle des fabricants, des opticiens et des distributeurs dans la création de nouvelles filières de recyclage. Solutions de collecte en magasin, programmes de reprise ou conception plus durable des montures : plusieurs pistes existent déjà. Un échange clair et pragmatique sur un enjeu environnemental majeur pour l’optique, et sur la manière dont le secteur pourrait transformer un déchet complexe en ressource de demain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
February 6, 202637 min
[FR] Frame the Future : Réinventer l'Optique pour Durer
L'industrie optique accuse un retard sur la durabilité. Contrairement à la mode ou à la cosmétique, la lunetterie avance en ordre dispersé, sans standards communs ni solutions collectives. Dominique Royet (Agence Hyssop) et Xenia Glutz van Blonheim (Frame the Future, Mykita) explorent les défis d'un secteur qui doit se transformer. Frame the Future, nouvelle alliance créée pour la filière optique, identifie deux priorités : définir ce qu'est une lunette durable et organiser le recyclage de l'acétate à l'échelle collective. Pourquoi est-ce si difficile ? Frilosité des industriels, pression du quotidien, réglementations européennes qui approchent. La conversation aborde aussi le modèle économique : peut-on passer du renouvellement fréquent au "buy better, wear longer" ? Les signes du changement apparaissent - le vintage devient tendance, les jeunes rejettent la surconsommation. Frame the Future ouvre ses portes aux membres pour créer des groupes de travail. La question n'est plus de savoir si l'optique va changer, mais qui prendra les devants. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
November 7, 202529 min
[ENG] Episode 2 - From Silmo Paris 2025
🎙️ Episode 2 – Live from SILMO Paris 2025 In this second special episode of The Right Optics , Nick Coffer continues his journey through SILMO Paris 2025 , recording live from the buzzing halls of the Parc des Expositions de Villepinte. From cutting-edge materials to sustainable logistics and bold eyewear culture, this episode brings together some of the most forward-thinking minds in the industry. ♻️ Marcos Bulacio – Regenesis Materials Founder of a pioneering nano-bio-composite technology that transforms ocean-bound plastic, coconut biochar, recycled carbon fibre and graphene into high-performance eyewear material. Driven by environmental passion and scientific innovation, Regenesis is redefining what sustainable materials can be. 👓 Sandra Kaufmann – Read On Switzerland Industrial designers with a Swiss luxury sensibility, Read On has created ultra-thin, beautifully packaged interchangeable readers. A unique system where frames and pre-cut lenses snap together, combining clever engineering with Apple-like minimalism and standout design. 🎨 Corey Shapiro – Vintage Frames Company Part eyewear historian, part cultural curator, Corey blends fashion heritage with artistic irreverence. From million-piece vintage archives to bold collaborations — including cigarette-tip temple arms inspired by Gucci Ghost — he turns eyewear into collectible art pieces. 🤝 Debbie Coath – Brand Agent A powerhouse of the trade fair, Debbie represents brands including Dita, Emmanuelle Khanh, Nina Mûr and Vulk. She shares the reality of agency life, the joy of matching the right frame with the right buyer, and the long-term relationships that define the optical world. 🌱 Rudi Collin – Loopipack (Le Spot RSE) In the SILMO CSR area, Loopipack presents reusable packaging made from upcycled advertising banners and industrial waste. Designed to replace cardboard boxes and pallet wrap, their system is stronger, greener and fully aligned with upcoming EU regulations. A dynamic and inspiring episode recorded live at SILMO Paris 2025 , showcasing the creativity, sustainability and ingenuity shaping the next era of eyewear. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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