Meet our team. We are dedicated in assisting with all of your eye care needs.
Debbie Vince, Optometrist & Business owner
Debbie studied at City University in London, qualifying with Honours as an Optometrist and Optical Dispenser in 1995. Debbie has lived and worked as an optometrist in Tasmania since 1997, undertaking further study in Ocular Therapeutics and Behavioural Optometry. Debbie established VisualEyes Hobart in 2017. She enjoys seeing patients of all ages and has a particular interest in children’s vision. Debbie and her husband have two teenage sons. When not thinking about optometry and the business, Debbie loves to get out in the fresh Tasmanian air for a bushwalk.
Karen Hurtado, Optometrist
Karen was born in France where she obtained her Optical Dispensing diploma in 1996 and her Master’s of Optometry in 1998 after training in a behavioural Optometry practice in Melbourne. Karen obtained her Bachelor of Optometry in 2001 at Melbourne University, and began working as a Behavioural Optometrist in Hobart in 2002, becoming therapeutically endorsed in the same year. Karen started working at VisualEyes Hobart when it opened in 2019 where she enjoys seeing children and adults alike. When not at work she spends her time with her partner, young son, two horses and two rescue cats.
Shane Duggan, Optometrist
Shane trained and practised as an Optometrist in Ireland. Arriving in Tasmania in 2012 for a short adventure, he forgot to leave! Now Australian citizens, Shane, his wife and two children officially call Tasmania home, but his Irish accent remains unchanged. Shane is therapeutically endorsed and has an interest in all thing’s optometry, especially binocular vision, dry eye syndrome and diabetes. In his spare time Shane enjoys running, jiu jitsu, and beach swimming (a new wet suit has made this a more pleasurable activity!). He sometimes challenges Sharon to a bake-off competition but has yet to win…
Debra Jackman, Optical Dispenser
Deb has been in the optical industry for 24 years; 21 of those years as a manager and as a qualified optical dispenser within both independent and corporate businesses. Deb’s passion is to provide great customer service and building respectful relationships with our patients. Deb’s love for fashion is a huge advantage providing our patients with an exceptional experience of choosing the perfect style of frame alongside customised lenses. In her free time Deb loves spending time with her family and friends, as well as gardening and exploring on road trips. She also loves to read a good novel.
Larry Ford, Optical Dispenser
Larry started his career as an optical technician, manufacturing spectacles in a Hobart optical laboratory before moving into optical dispensing. Working within several corporate and private practices over the last 20 years, Larry’s vast knowledge and experience ensures our patients receive the best advice and help in selecting the most appropriate frames and lenses, and in ensuring correct fitting, adjustments and measurements are provided. When he is not busy working in the practice, Larry enjoys getting away camping, relaxing, and watching sport.
Sharon Coleman, Optical Assistant
Sharon’s extensive experience in reception, office management and in various Guest Service Agent positions show through in her welcoming attitude and attentive customer service. Her skills have proved invaluable in her role at VisualEyes where she enjoys optical dispensing and working within our friendly team. Sharon loves interacting with all of our patients, especially when assisting people with their frame selection. Sharon has three children, loves cooking, baking, walking, going to the beach and catching up with friends.
Evan Vince, Trainee Optical Dispenser
Evan is Debbie’s son and is currently studying to become an Optical Dispenser. He enjoys working with clients to pick out the perfect pair of spectacles and loves to get to know people better to understand their preferred style. Evan really enjoys the more technical aspects of the job and with his knowledge computers and software he is known as our “technical guru”. Outside of work, Evan enjoys photography and likes to build computers and research the ins and outs of the computing and tech world.