Our Team

About Us

Peter Ivins

Optometrist / Director
BSc MCOptom DipTp (IP)

Peter Ivins BSc MCOptom DipTp (IP), Optometrist / Director

Peter practices fulltime within Peter Ivins Eye Care in Bearsden, offering a range of specialist services including ocular therapeutics, specialist contact lens and dry eye management clinics. Peter is considered a global key opinion leader in the contact lens industry, having been part of a team working on the first soft disposable contact lens. He is part of the teaching faculty at the Johnson and Johnson's Vision Care Institute where he lectures on a variety of subjects to optometrists, opticians and clinical staff from around the UK. He has and continues to lecture extensively in the UK, USA, Australia, China, South Africa and Europe on various subjects including contact lenses, vision in sport and business management. Peter was one of the first in the UK to qualify as an independent prescribing optometrist, meaning he can manage and prescribe medicines for a vast array of eye conditions.
He is the director of Purple Ivy a company offering business as well as clinical skills advice to both independent and multiple opticians.

Peter has lived in Bearsden for over 40 years and is the father of four children and grandfather to one. He is a keen golfer and has maintained a single figure handicap for over thirty years.

Previous roles:

Glaucoma Optometrist, Glasgow Southern General: 2010
Clinical Director Black & Lizars: 2008 - 2009
CEO Black & Lizars: 1999 - 2008
Director of C Jeffrey Black: 1980 - 1999
Director of C Jeffrey Black: 1980 - 1999
Part time lecturer Caledonian University: 1980 - 1986.
Sole UK sports vision consultant at Barcelona and Lillehammer Olympics Games: 1984 & 1986
Former Chairman of Scottish Contact Lens Society

Craig McArthur

Optometrist / Director
BSc (Hons) MCOptom

Craig McArthur BSc (Hons) MCOptom, Optometrist / Director

Craig is a practicing optometrist based at fulltime Peter Ivins Eye Care in Bearsden. He started his career in optics in 2003 working for Peter at Black and Lizars. He graduated from Glasgow Caledonian University in 2007 and from the College of Optometrists in 2008. He is a clinical advisor and consultant to a number of companies and is a regular contributor to industry magazines Optician and Optometry Today having published numerous articles on topics varying from Myopia Management in children, to Glaucoma management and diagnostic imaging techniques.

Craig lectures extensively throughout the UK and Europe on a variety of subjects including optical coherence tomography, macular screening techniques, specialist contact lenses fitting and use of cutting-edge technology in optometry. Craig developed a nationwide macular screening programme for Scotland's largest independent optical chain, the first of its kind in the UK, during which he experienced over 1000 patient episodes in the specialist macular screening clinic.

He is a consultant with Purple Ivy a bespoke business consultancy, where he offers insight and advice into integrated practice management systems, website design, use of social media and business intelligence solutions. He is a clinical tutor to 4th year undergraduate students from Glasgow Caledonian University's optometry programme, where he is also a visiting lecturer. He is also a tutor as part of the University of New South Wales Preceptorship Program.

Craig has a special interest in children’s vision, visual stress, myopia control, orthokeratology and specialist contact lens fitting. Craig is a member of The College of Optometrists, Association of Optometrists and British Contact Lens Association.

Craig is also a professional musician performing with The Tatties, a Scottish ceilidh band and Sugarush a popular function band. Craig and his wife Jennifer were married near Rome, Italy in September 2012. The couple have one son, Noah, born in July 2017.

Previous roles:

Black and Lizars Optometrists: 2003 - 2010
Development and implementation team for nationwide macular screening programme, Black and Lizars: 2008 - 2010
Specialist macular screening optometrist, Black and Lizars: 2008 - 2010

Asim Sheikh

Optometrist
BSc (Hons) MCOptom

Asim Sheikh BSc (Hons) MCOptom, Optometrist

Asim is based part-time at Peter Ivins Eye Care. He is a practicing optometrist with over a decades experience with Black and Lizars. During that time he practised with Peter and Craig as a specialist optometrist and was an accredited practitioner as part of the Glasgow’s’ Integrated Eye Care Service (GIES) shared care scheme. He was also a Pre-Registration supervisor to numerous graduate optometrists.

Asim is a graduate of Glasgow Caledonian University, having studied and graduated alongside Craig. He is currently studying towards a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) at Strathclyde University. He has also contributed to many CET articles for a variety of companies and lectures to optometrists and opticians throughout the UK on a variety of topics. Asim splits his time between Peter Ivins Eye Care, his role as Clinical Trainer with Zeiss and his MBA studies. He has a special interest in specialist contact lens fitting, optical coherence tomography and advancements in clinical diagnostic technology.

Asim married his wife Sumara in 2010. He is a single figure handicap golfer and was a groomsman at Craig’s wedding in 2012.

Jillian Forrie

Dispensing Optician
BSc FBDO

Jillian Forrie BSc FBDO, Dispensing Optician

Jillian practices fulltime within Peter Ivins Eye Care offering a range of specialist services including bespoke made-to-measure frames and custom-made individually tailored spectacles lenses. Jillian has a passion for perfect spectacle frame fitting, which she feels particularly important in children's spectacles. Jillian also has an interest in Low Vision Aid Assessments and diagnostic imaging techniques including Optical Coherence Tomography, ultra-widefield retinal imaging and corneal topography.

Jillian attended Glasgow Caledonian University between 2009 and 2012 where she completed her under-graduate degree; graduating top of her class with a BSc in Dispensing Optics. She completed her post-graduate diplopia in 2013 and is now a member of The Association of British Dispensing Opticians and the General Optical Council.

Previous roles:

Boots Opticians: 2007 - 2009
Specsavers Opticians: 2009 - 2011
Forde Opticians: 2011 - 2013

Jennifer McArthur

Dispensing Optician
BSc FBDO

Jennifer McArthur BSc FBDO, Dispensing Optician

Jennifer started working in optics in 2001 working as an optical assistant whilst studying towards her undergraduate degree in Ophthalmic Dispensing at Glasgow Caledonian University. Jennifer graduated from university in 2005, embarked upon her graduate year in 2006 and completed her post-graduate diploma becoming a Fellow of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians in 2007. After fully qualifying as a dispensing optician she then worked as a dispensing optician and specialist laser councillor for Optical Express before moving to Black and Lizars in late 2007.

After 2 years with Black and Lizars in Giffnock she was promoted to Assistant Manager of the Milngavie practice. In 2010 Jennifer moved back to Optical Express as store manager of the Bearsden and Milngavie branches where she worked until 2015.

Jennifer joined Peter Ivins Eye Care in 2015. Jennifer has a special interest in bespoke custom-made frame fitting (Tom Davies, Silhouette, and Lindberg), specialist paediatric and modified children’s frame fitting and customised varifocal lens design. She has vast experience in low visual aid assessment for the visually impaired.

Jennifer was married to our optometrist Craig McArthur in 2012 in a wedding ceremony in Rome, Italy. The couple have one son, Noah McArthur born July 2017.

Qualifications

2003 – 2006	Completed Undergraduate Degree, BSc Ophthalmic Dispensing, Glasgow Caledonian University
2007 – present	Completed Postgraduate Diploma – FBDO
2007 – present	Fellow of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians
2007 – present	Member of General Optical Council

Previous Roles

2010 – 2015	Store Manager / Dispensing Optician – Optical Express, Milngavie & Bearsden
2009 – 2010	Assistant Manager/Dispensing Optician – Black and Lizars, Milngavie
2007 – 2009	Dispensing Optician – Black and Lizars, Giffnock
2006 – 2007	Specialist Laser Councillor – Optical Express
2005 – 2006	Graduate Dispensing Optician – Optical Express
2001 – 2004	Optical Assistant – Optical Express

Alison Halliday

Dispensing Optician
FBDO

Alison Halliday FBDO, Dispensing Optician

Alison has practiced in Peter Ivins Eye Care since 2011. She offers a range of specialist services including bespoke made-to-measure frames and custom-made individually tailored spectacles lenses. She has over 30 years’ experience in optics. She graduated from Glasgow Caledonian University in 1987 and qualified as a dispensing optician in 1988. She is a member of Association of British Dispensing Opticians and is a visiting tutor within Glasgow Caledonian University’s Dispensing Optician, Optometry and Orthoptics programs where she teaches undergraduate students within the university eye clinic.

Alison has a real passion for the art of frame fitting; a skill often overlooked in today's modern multiple practice environment. 30+ years of experience, incredible patience and highly refined skills make her an expert in this area. Alison has lived in the Bearsden and Milngavie area her entire life. She is the mother of one daughter.

Previous roles:

Dispensing optician J Lizars Opticians, Buchanan Street: 1988 - 2000
Dispensing optician Black and Lizars, Milngavie 2000 - 2010

Jacqueline Kelly

Clinical Assistant

Coming Soon!

Kaye Kaffine

Clinical Assistant /
Practice Administrator

Kaye Kaffine Clinical Assistant / Practice Administrator

Kaye brings with her a breadth of experience in optics having previously worked for Black & Lizars and Specsavers in a variety of roles from clinical assistant, dispensing assistant and practice manager. Kaye has university accredited qualifications in dispensing optics and optical clinical from Anglia Ruskin University. Kaye has 10+ years' experience in hospitality management having worked in large luxury hotels and restaurants. Kaye combines her clinical and dispensing knowledge with the highest levels of customer service.

Previous roles:

Black and Lizars: Clinical Assistant: 2009 - 2012
Black and Lizars: Practice Manager: 2013
Specsavers: Dispensing Assistant: 2014

Shevaun Breslin

Undergraduate
Dispensing Optician

Shevaun Breslin, Undergraduate Dispensing Optician

Shevaun Breslin joined our expert team full time as a trainee Dispensing Optician in 2018. Shevaun is enrolled in the British Association of Dispensing Opticians distance learning diploma programme. Under the stewardship of our optometrists Peter Ivins, Craig McArthur, Asim Sheikh and our dispensing opticians Jillian Forrie, Jennifer McArthur and Alison Halliday, Shevaun will embark on a three-year training program working full time within Peter Ivins Eye Care with block release to the ABDO training establishment in Birmingham for lecture and continual assessment. Shevaun should qualify as a dispensing optician and become a fellow of the British Association of Dispensing Opticians in 2021.

Shevaun is already highly experienced in optics have previously worked for Boots Opticians and most recently worked in Paisley’s Royal Alexandria Hospital.

Myra Forbes

Optical Assistant

Myra Forbes Optical Assistant

Myra has lived in Bearsden and Milngavie for over 40 years years. She has worked with Mr Ivins for since 1998. She first joined C Jeffrey Black opticians in 1996, moving with Mr Ivins to Black and Lizars in 1998. Visual field analysis and retinal imaging are Myra's main areas of interest and expertise. 40+ years in Bearsden, 20+ years in local optics and a photographic memory for faces and names means there are very few of our patients Myra doesn't already know.

Myra is the mother of two daughters and a son, and a grandmother of six.

Polyanna Gardiner

Optical Assistant

Coming Soon!

Elaine Slaven

Practice Administrator

Elaine Slaven, Practice Administrator

Elaine Slaven joined our expert team in 2015. Elaine brought with her over 30+ years of experience from her previous role in the banking sector with the Lloyds Banking group. Over the course of her career with Lloyds Elaine worked in a variety of roles from business support and relationship manager to a heritable security specialist.

Within her role as practice administrator at Peter Ivins Eye Care Elaine oversees our direct debit management, banking and stock inventory amongst many other things.

Elaine is currently studying towards a PDA in Book-Keeping at City of Glasgow College. She has lived in the Bearsden / Milngavie area for over 40 years and is the mother of one son.

Fawaad Shafi

Undergraduate Orthoptist

Fawaad Shafi, Undergraduate Orthoptist

Fawaad Shafi joined our expert team in 2018. Fawaad splits his time between Peter Ivins Eye Care, Glasgow Caledonian University, and his various hospital placements. Fawaad is currently enrolled in Glasgow Caledonian University’s Orthoptics undergraduate programme. Over the 4-year course Fawaad will gain the skills and experience required to be a full-time clinical orthoptist. Orthoptists are experts in the eye movements, eye muscles and neurological issues with the muscles of the eye. They form an integral cog in the hospital eye care system as part of multi-disciplinary teams compromised of orthoptists, optometrists and ophthalmologists charged with treatment of children with squints, muscle problems and amblyopia, as well as adults with neurological issues.

Hayley Smith

Undergraduate Optometrist

Coming Soon!

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Our Team

Peter Ivins

Craig McArthur

Asim Sheikh

Jillian Forrie

Jennifer McArthur

Alison Halliday

Jacqueline Kelly

Kaye Kaffine

Shevaun Breslin

Myra Forbes

Polyanna Gardiner

Elaine Slaven

Fawaad Shafi

Hayley Smith

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