About Us

Susan Walton OAM
Behavioural Optometrist

Susan has been in independent practice in the Newcastle area for 40 years, having her own business for more than 35 of those years. It is a true local family operation, with her husband Evan involved with managing the practice and their 30 year old daughter Hannah working alongside Susan as their Vision Therapist.

Susan gained her Bachelor of Optometry in 1981 & became an inaugural Fellow of the Australasian College of Behavioural Optometrists in 1988. She was awarded an OAM in 2014 for her services to community health, particularly for her role in providing eye care – on a voluntary basis for over 20 years – to those with special needs as part of the Opening Eyes branch of the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes program.

In 2019 Susan was awarded the Presidents Award from the Australasian College of Behavioural Optometrists. This peer nominated award recognised her many contributions to Behavioural Optometry.

She specialises in Behavioural and Neuro-Developmental Eyecare & also Sports Vision (having been a past National Chairperson). She currently is the Asia-Pacific & Australian Director of the Opening Eyes Program for the Special Olympics. In the above capacities Susan has attended both the Atlanta Olympics & three Special Olympics World Games in the USA and Ireland. Locally, Susan was the Sports Vision consultant to the Hunter Academy of Sport & advised in this capacity for over 20 years.

She thoroughly enjoys, & is extremely passionate about her profession.

Hannah Walton
Vision Therapist/Optical Technician

Hannah is our accredited Vision therapist and has a great rapport working with the many children who undertake our programs to assist with their visual difficulties affecting their learning progress. She also works with adults with a variety of visual deficits that may be associated with stroke and/or brain injury . Her passion shines through working with the various children and adults in vision therapy programs.

Melinda Kozmin
Optical Dispenser

Melinda is our Optical Dispenser, and joined the team in early 2019. She has a background in Customer Service as has worked in various roles in the Optical Industry since 2002.

Melinda has recently completed an Optical Dispensing course, and thoroughly enjoys putting her new skills and knowledge to use in guiding patients to find their perfect frame and lens designs to meet their optical needs.

Melinda loves the joy of handing over a completed pair of spectacles or sunglasses, particularly to our youngest patients.

Melinda and Hannah share the Social Media responsibilities for our business, and work together to create fun and informative content for our followers.

Melinda originated from Sydney and re-located to the Hunter region in 2017. She enjoys spending her time outside work exploring local parks and cafes (coffee is her fourth love) with her husband and two young children.

Kellie Rawe
Receptionist

Kellie also joined the team in early 2019 as our Receptionist and Office Administration extraordinaire. She is the welcoming face you’ll see on arrival at our practice and the friendly voice on the other end of the phone when you call.

Kellie loves helping our patients find their perfect look and has a flair for colour and styling, drawing on her background in homewares.

Kellie has enthusiastically completed numerous courses since she started with the team, and continues to grow her optical knowledge to offer our patients the best care possible.

Kellie and her family have known Susan for the last twenty years, through their local family businesses and three generations of Kellie’s family continue to be patients of the practice.

When she’s not at work Kellie loves spending time with her three children.