Our Optometrist Team
Heidi Hunter – Optometrist & Managing Director
Heidi is a true Novocastrian, having grown up in Lake Macquarie before moving to Sydney for university in 1996 and graduating from UNSW in 2000. Before joining the practice she spent time consulting with a local ophthalmologist, a laser refractive surgery clinic, and many optometric practices in the Newcastle region.
As well as looking after patients, she lectures about eyes and vision to university students, school teachers, GPs, nurses, and pharmacists. She is a clinical supervisor of optometry students for Flinders University, Deakin University, and the University of NSW, and a past writer for Mivision and optometric speaker on ABC radio.
Amidst raising two active teenage boys, Heidi is on the national board and NSW president of the not-for-profit Cornea & Contact Lens Society of Australia and a NSW/ACT board member of Optometry Australia. She is dedicated to educating colleagues on RGP (rigid gas permeable) custom contact lens fitting, such as for keratoconus and corneal grafts, and has lectured at conferences throughout Australia on various clinical topics.
Heidi’s professional interests include myopia control, and anything and everything to do with contact lenses. Heidi also enjoys the challenge of solving problems people are having with their existing glasses, including multifocals (progressives).
Click here to make an appointment to see Heidi for a thorough eye and vision check.
Rishmie Logendran – Optometrist
Rishmie is a highly experienced optometrist, nearing a decade since graduation. Originally from Sydney, Rishmie moved to Newcastle in 2016 and settled down with her partner and gorgeous border collie puppy. She has been a volunteer optometrist for primary school vision screenings, the Hunter Homeless Connect, and charity outreach programs in regional Australia.
Rishmie is an ophthalmic medicines prescriber, meaning she has advanced skills in diagnosing and managing various eye diseases. If you have any visual symptoms like blurred vision, you have macular degeneration, glaucoma, or a family history of eye disease, or are concerned about your child’s worsening eyesight, then Rishmie is the optometrist you should meet.
Rishmie’s professional interests include paediatric (children’s) and behavioural optometry, including treatment of lazy eye (amblyopia) and accommodative esotropia (‘cross-eyes’), as well as how vision problems can relate to learning difficulties but of course sees patients of all ages at Custom EyeCare.
Throughout her career, Rishmie has always enjoyed looking after people to ensure their visual needs are met. After graduating Optometry at UNSW, Rishmie went on to complete further professional study with a Certificate in Advanced Contact Lenses. Rishmie’s passion is contact lens fitting, especially to those who’ve had no confidence to try contacts in the past. She has experience in designing custom contact lenses for managing myopia, keratoconus, corneal grafts and other corneal conditions.
Besides being a highly qualified Optometrist, Rishmie is also a certified optical dispenser and is able to assist with all of your glasses fitting and adjustment needs.
Click here to make an appointment with Rishmie.
Wes Butler – Optometrist
Wes is a highly qualified optometrist with exceptional patient care, clinical knowledge and an all round nice guy. Originally from Adelaide, Wes first worked with Custom Eyecare in 2018.
Anyone who has met Wes will already know he is great with kids and adults, and sees patients of all ages at Custom EyeCare. Wes is also our resident dry eye guru at Custom Eyecare for those suffering with dry, sore eyes.
Sadly, in June 2023 Wes relocated back to Adelaide. The good news is: he is still returning to Newcastle every few months, so you can still find appointments available with Wes.
Wes is a member of Optometry Australia, the Australasian College of Behavioural Optometrists (ACBO) the Cornea & Contact Lens Society (CCLSA), and the Orthokeratology Society of Oceania (OSO).
When you see Wes you are guaranteed a good chat and a thorough eye and vision check. Click here to make an appointment with Wes. Or call the practice and find out the dates of his next trip to Newcastle and we can make you an appointment.
Practice Staff
Karen – Qualified Optical Dispenser
Karen has over 20 years of experience as a qualified senior optical dispenser. Before joining Custom Eyecare, Karen managed an optometry practice in Toukley. Karen’s knowledge in practice management and a keen eye for style and colour has helped with purchasing our frame ranges. Selecting a wide range of styles to complement our customer’s tastes.
Her wealth of knowledge and experience means you’ll receive personalised advice about frames and lenses from someone who knows what she’s talking about, and she loves fashion frames.
Karen loves living on the Central Coast but has enjoyed getting to know the Newcastle area and the Darby street café scene.
Jess – Qualified Optical Dispenser
Before we met her, Jess had already gained over four years of experience in optics, and since starting at Custom EyeCare she has completed her Certificate IV in Optical Dispensing qualification. We are so proud of all her study efforts and hard work in achieving the formal training to complement her already existing practical experience.
She’s an expert at helping people choose a frame that’s a perfect match for their face! Jess enjoys a challenge and is always willing to find solutions with difficult frame repairs.
Jess is always smiling and brings loads of laughter and fun to the workplace. Her quick wit and sense of humor will bring joy to anyone who meets her.
Kelly – Front of House
Kelly started at Custom Eyecare in 2018. In 2020, she took a year off to travel around Australia with her husband, 3 children and her dog in a caravan. Kelly especially loved the Kimberleys and its raw rugged beauty and absolutely loved the Western Australia Coast. She is a busy Mum and a wonderful people person.
You will find Kelly on our front reception desk as your first point of call. She conducts herself in a professional manner, her positive attitude comes through loud and clear. Kelly takes time to listen to our customers and is very efficient in answering their questions.
Bernadette – Optometric Technician
Bernie is the newest member of our team as an Optometric Assistant and Optical Dispensing trainee so you will see her in multiple capacities around the practice! She moved to Newcastle from Port Macquarie to further her career after spending time in healthcare for the previous few years.
Bernie spends her spare time as a musician, playing multiple different instruments (her favorite is the acoustic guitar!) and listening to all genres of music.
Nick – Optometric Technician
Nick is an Optometric Technician who works with us part time as he spends most of his days studying at Merewether High. His career aspirations at this stage is to get into Medicine at university.
Outside of school hours, you’ll find Nick taking retinal photos and eye scans as part of our comprehensive consultations, assisting with patient files, helping out around the practice or searching the cupboards for food as he is forever hungry!
He enjoys spending his time in the waves at Merewether Beach or at Glenrock mountain biking whenever he gets the chance.
Ava – Optometric Technician
Ava is an Optometric Technician who also works with us part time. You can’t miss her smiling face and friendly nature when you visit us on a Thursday evening or school holidays.
Ava is very interested in studying Optometry when she finishes her studies at Maitland Christian School.
Outside of school hours, you will find Ava taking retinal photos and eye scans as part of our comprehensive consultations, assisting with patient files, and helping around the practice. She loves spending her free time at the beach, soaking up the sun, and swimming with friends.
Tori – Optometric Technician
Tori is an Optometric Technician.
When you come to see us, Tori will measure your vision, current glasses, eye pressure, and eyeball length, as well as take your retinal photos, corneal topography, and OCT scans. You will also see Tori at the front, helping patients choose glasses.
Tori loves swimming at the Newcastle baths, being a Guide Dog Puppy Raiser and just having a good laugh.
Heidi, Rishmie and Wes are ophthalmic medicines prescribers, meaning they all have advanced skills in diagnosing and managing various eye diseases and conditions.
Your optometrists at Custom Eyecare are all fully qualified members of the Optometrists Association Australia (OAA), and stay up to date with the latest eyecare research by regularly attending conferences & seminars in order to not just meet but exceed the minimum continuing professional education (CPE) requirements of the Association and the Optometry Board of Australia (OBA).
Your qualified optical dispensers at Custom Eyecare are members of the Australian Dispensing Opticians Association (ADOA), which only accepts members who have the Certificate IV Optical Dispensing qualification and who are licensed with the Optical Dispensers Licensing Board. Members of ADOA are not only competent and experienced but also abide by a code of ethics. This means you can trust their advice when choosing your frames and lenses.
If you’re interested in finding out more about employment or a career in optometry or optical dispensing, please click here.
