By Nicos Antoniades | The Optical Gallery | TEF Magazine
If you’ve ever sat in your consulting room wondering if there’s more to life than ticking off appointments and hitting conversion targets, this episode is for you.
Beedie’s latest podcast episode (S1E4 “Juggling Optometry and Creative Endeavours”) featuring optometrist and spectacle maker Jack Lupton might be my favourite yet. It’s honest, refreshing, and probably the most relatable conversation I’ve heard within the optical space for a long time.
As a creative myself, I’ve always struggled with the repetitive side of optics. The clinical routine rarely scratches that creative itch, which is why I’ve had to find ways to bring outside skills, like videography and content creation, into my profession. This is also what drives my love for writing here on TEF Magazine: finally, there are content creators not just in the eyewear world, but within the optical profession itself, lifting the curtain on what it’s really like behind the testing room doors.
Jack’s story is both inspiring and unapologetically real. From making his first pair of glasses during lockdown to handcrafting frames for David Hockney, yes, the David Hockney, and seeing them proudly featured in his latest exhibition, it’s the kind of story that makes you want to chase your own passion project. And what’s more, Jack’s journey sheds light on something we’re slowly losing in the eyewear industry: the art of artisan spectacle-making.
In a world where most frames are pumped out of mass-manufacturing machines, it’s beautiful to see someone bringing this craftsmanship back to life. Jack runs spectacle-making workshops in-house at Ransome Optical, allowing people to make their own frames by hand. Not only does it teach people the value of their eyewear, but it also bridges the gap between craft, design, and clinical optics.
But what struck me most was Jack’s openness about the hard realities too. Like many of us, he entered optometry with the hope of being part of a caring community practice. What he found instead was the cold conversion culture many optical professionals face today. There’s this idea that clinicians must double as salespeople, pushing eyewear solutions with one hand while trying to maintain clinical integrity with the other.
Jack tackles this head-on. He’s honest about how jarring it was at first, how alien the ‘conversion conversation’ felt, and how once he became a practice owner, he had to reconcile his values with the practicalities of running a business. Like he said, “Without the sales, there is no business.” And he’s not wrong. Ethical selling isn’t about pressure, it’s about education. And it’s refreshing to hear someone still committed to clinical honesty while understanding the realities of sustainability in private practice.
Another key takeaway? You don’t have to do it all. Something I’m constantly learning as well. From content production to lens orders, you can’t keep every plate spinning without burning out. Jack talks candidly about the need to delegate, to outsource the tasks you’re not good at or simply don’t enjoy. He’s appointed a practice manager to take over the sales floor side of things, allowing him to focus on what lights him up: testing eyes and making beautiful frames.
In many ways, Jack embodies what this new generation of optical professionals looks like. He’s breaking the mould, merging healthcare with fashion, and reviving a dying art, all while staying true to his values. His story is a reminder that optometry doesn’t have to be the end of your creativity, it can be the beginning of it.
So if you’re reading this and feeling unfulfilled in optics, know this: you’re not alone. Learn something new. Start small. Mix your passions into your profession. And whatever you do, don’t settle for a career that doesn’t make you happy.
Because as Jack proves, with a bit of vision (pun intended), you can build something truly unique.
