kardinya

Dip. Optom (SA); FOASA; PGCertOcTher

Ross grew up in Zimbabwe and graduated from the Witwatersrand School of Optometry in 1986. Ross then relocated to the Province of Prince Edward Island (PEI) in 1986, where he began practicing optometry after passing the Provincial Board exams. Ross sat the Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand (OCANZ) board examinations in 2001 and then relocated to Australia in 2003 and practiced in Adelaide from until 2005. He relocated to Perth in 2005 and joined Abernethy Owens Optometrists.

He has been active in his profession over the years, serving two terms as President of PEI Provincial Association of Optometrists and as a councillor to the Canadian National Association of Optometry. In Australia Ross served on the board of the WA Optometrist Association for six years.

Ross enjoys all aspects of primary care optometry and treats patients of all ages including children. He is therapeutically endorsed and has a keen interest in ocular disease. Ross consults in our Kardinya practice.

B.Optom (Hons); M.Optom; PGCertOcTher

Richard was born and raised in WA but completed his Optometry studies at the University of New South Wales. He first joined Abernethy Owens back in 1990 but after 18 years as an Optometrist and Partner he returned to Sydney to complete his post-graduate qualifications.

While in Sydney, Richard ran a private practice and also enjoyed a teaching role at UNSW. With 30 years of experience, Richard is comfortable seeing patients of all ages. He particularly enjoys helping his younger patients to manage their short-sightedness using Orthok and other myopia control measures. 

In 2019, Richard returned to Perth and consults at our Woodvale and Kardinya practices.

BMedSc(VisSc),MOpt

After growing up in the southern suburbs of Perth, Alex moved to Adelaide to pursue a career in optometry at Flinders University. After 5 years, Alex earned a Bachelor of Medical Science (Vision Science) and a Master of Optometry, including a therapeutic qualification, and decided to move back home to start his career.

Before finishing his studies, Alex was a swimming teacher and competitive swimming coach, where his interest in working with children was founded, and he was excited that it translated well into the scope of optometry. Through his studies, Alex enjoyed learning all that optometry has to offer, from being a part of a research team looking into myopia control, to clinical placements in Perth and Queensland. The combination of problem solving, health and interactions with patients to best suit their requirements is what Alex enjoys most about the role as an optometrist.

When Alex isn’t in the consulting room, he can be found swimming at the beach, grabbing a coffee from the local coffee shop, or playing a social game of golf with his mates. Alex consults at our Fremantle, Kardinya and Rockingham practices.

BBiomedSc; OD

Julia grew up in Fremantle and completed a Bachelor of Biomedical Science, majoring in both Pharmacology and Physiology at the University of Western Australia. Following this, she went on to study the Doctor of Optometry Program at UWA, earning both an OD and ocular therapeutics qualification, and was a part of the first graduating cohort of optometrists in Western Australia. Throughout her final 3 years of study, Julia also worked as an optical assistant in the Fremantle practice on Saturday mornings.

Julia’s favourite thing about optometry is getting to transform her knowledge of anatomy and human sciences into helping people with their vision and ocular needs. She is always up for a chat and loves learning new things from others! In her spare time, Julia enjoys exploring regional Western Australia, with the hopes to one day complete a road trip around the country. She is also a self-declared foodie and is always on the hunt for new places to try.

Julia consults at our Fremantle and Kardinya practices.

BHlthSc (Optom) (Hons)

Born and raised on a "fruit salad" orchard in Mareeba, Far North Queensland, Wendy spent her university holidays packing mangoes, lychees, avocados and custard apples. Wendy graduated with 1st class honours from the Queensland University of Technology in 1992 after completing her Bachelor of Health Science in Optometry. She moved to Perth after graduating with the plan to stay for one year, but fell in love with WA and has called it home ever since.

Wendy has been with Abernethy Owens since moving to Perth in 1992 and enjoys all aspects of Optometry. She especially loves that fact that she has seen so many of her patients grow from children into adults and now have children of their own.

Wendy spends her free time with her husband and teenage children and soaking up all that WA has to offer. Wendy consults on Saturdays from our Kardinya practice.