Meet the Team
Donald Klaassen
DipOptom(SA),Mphil(Optom),FBDO(UK),OCANZ
With over 25 years of experience and qualifications spanning 3 continents, Donald is our principal optometrist and attends to all our customers.
Read more below …
Grant Gavin
Cert IV Optical Dispensing
Qualified as a dispensing optician with over 20 years experience. Has managed large corporate Optical and Sunglass Outlets. Grant is experienced in lens advice and frame selection.
Gail Klaassen
BProc LLB
Gail has been actively involved in the optical industry for 4 years and is often called on for the female touch in advising on frame selection and styling.
Donald recently attended the Hong Kong International Optical fair which introduces the latest in spectacle design from around the world.
New styles from the show have arrived and are on display at both practises.
Donald Klaassen …
Optometrist/Behavioural Optometrist
DIP OPTOM (SA), MPHIL (OPTOM), FBDO (UK), DIP SBM, OCANZ
Specializing in children's vision
Donald Klaassen is an internationally qualified optometrist with extensive experience across all age brackets and having a special interest in children’s vision (paediatrics/behavioural optometry).
As well as general eye examinations, prescribing spectacles and contact lenses, he is often involved with the management of children with vision and learning difficulties.
Donald Klaassen qualified from the Witwatersand School of Optometry in 1990 with distinctions in practise management, environmental optometry and pharmacology.
In that same year his interest in children’s vision led him and his colleagues to undertake extensive studies on the visual acuity of Bushman children located in the Gobabis district of South West Africa / Namibia.
JG Strydom Public Hospital
In 1991 upon graduation he was immediately offered partnership of the prestigious Optometry firm: Kearney and Associates in Johannesburg. Whilst there the practise expanded to accommodate a one hour surfacing and fitting laboratory in Johannesburg which was one of the first of its kind in practise at the time.
In addition to full-time practise he managed an optometry clinic at the JG Strydom Public Hospital for five years from 1992 to 1996 working alongside Ophthalmologists gaining invaluable experience co-managing patients both pre and post cataract.
In 1992 he completed a diploma in business management with distinction and in 1993 completed his examinations for Fellowship of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians.
Studies from 1991 to 1997
From 1991 to 1997 he conducted extensive studies on corneal curvature change during pregnancy and post partum under the guidance of Professors Harris and Ferreira of the Rand Afrikaans University.
External examination through Professor Robert Yolton at Pacific University in Oregon, USA, resulted in the Degree of Master of Optometry being conferred on him in 1997. He presented the results of his thesis at the international conference: Refraction and Keratometry: The Mathematics and Statistics in 1996.
Moving to New Zealand
In 1997 he emigrated to New Zealand and completed the joint New Zealand and Australian Optometry Board exam in 1998. A Consultant to OPSM (now Luxottica) he was appointed to the position of Professional Services manager responsible for the professional development of the 50 or so optometrists within the New Zealand division of the group.
In 2004 he decided to exit corporate optometry and return to private practise. As well as being a guest speaker on ocular health to diabetic support groups, he has also contributed to the Journal NZ Work and Safety advocating the benefits of safety eyewear in industry.
More on children's vision
He has also presented on aspects of children’s vision to the public health nurses based at the Manukau District Health Board and is consultant optometrist to Sommerville Special School. He has extensive experience in all aspects of optometry from young children all the way through to the elderly.
He is a past a member of the South African Sports vision Association and also has a specialised interest in children’s vision especially with regard to learning difficulties and autism.