Going green with Doctor Oculus

Scott O’Neill launched his practice, Doctor Oculus, in September 2022. With the unique angle of being an entirely sustainable dispensing only practice, the practice is located in Birmingham’s trendy Custard Factory, in the city’s creative quarter. Read on to discover more about Scott’s journey, and how he found the confidence to make the leap to starting his own business.

Scott began training as a DO in 2011. He says, “I always worked in the traditional independent sector. After a number of roles I thought I was bored with optics, I felt the focus wasn’t on the impact the business could have on the community or environment. I left and did a masters in business administration.”

Taking time out to study was transformative for Scott. He says, “I spent a year with people from all round the world, and understood a bit more about what I wanted to do. Before that, in my mind, optometrists led the practice. Then I was around all these entrepreneurial and encouraging people. I realised I could do something.”

Scott returned to locum work, and started enjoying it again. He started working for Richard Fantom and says, “Richard has the right way of approaching things – he made me feel refreshed and inspired.” He adds, “It’s been a 10 year story of gaining confidence. I am a good DO, I’m proud of being a DO, I know what I’d doing, and with my own business I knew I would the opportunity to do it.”

The brand name Doctor Oculus stands out on Scott’s practice in bright red and blue. Scott says, “The name comes from when started my training. My friends called me Doctor Oculus, and that has now become the brand.”

Speaking about his decision to open a sustainable practice, Scott says, “Being environmentally friendly is really important to me. We do a lot at home to try to follow that lifestyle. During my masters I considered setting up a network of electric vans offering refills. That didn’t work out, but I learnt that if you want to do anything that’s more eco friendly you have to research it.”

Scott took a different approach to setting up his business from the start. He says, “I sourced a big display dresser from the British Heart Foundation, other furniture from Emaus, and we found some chairs that had been reupholstered on a trip to the area near Stonehenge. We made the frame display board. My father-in-law who passed away last year was a carpenter and had lots of wood which my father and I used it to make frames which we have filled with cork panels. I even picked up a second hand test chart in Liverpool.”

The business is located in the Custard Factory, Digbeth, a hotbed of creativity and culture. Doctor Oculus is surrounded by designers, bars and restaurants. Scott says, “And all the business owners are really invested in each other’s success, and will happily refer customers.”

Scott only has sustainable frames in the practice. He says, “When I was choosing frames, I knew that they had to be better for the environment. I was looking for recycled materials or bioacetates which degrade after a time. The frames also have to be good quality. It took a lot of research, but I’ve managed to source a great selection of sustainable brands, including Coral Eyewear, Bird, and Wolf’s Inspirit range.”

He has also taken sustainability to heart when choosing lenses. Scott says, “My approach is that we currently need to either go for a lens that offers low impact manufacturing, or one that won’t remain on the planet for ever. My main prescription lens provider is Shamir Metaform. The process fuses a Preform overlay with any lens through an eco-friendly thermoforming station, using less electricity and water to produce and skipping the vacuum chamber which is hugely energy intensive.”

Alongside eco friendly frames and lenses Scott also offers unlimited, vegan formula glasses cleaner in wallet sized dispensers, as well as hard and soft cork cases.

Looking to the future Scott says, “My plan for year one is simply to make sure the business is profitable. I’m still locuming which means I’m working seven days a week, but the Custard Factory is buzzing at the weekends so I want to be there.” Scott has already hit his first target. He adds, “The overheads are low, the landlord is very supportive – there were a lot of people after this unit which the best footfall. In the long term I wouldn’t rule out taking the office upstairs and getting an optometrist in but that would be a completely different business. I’m an expert in frames and lenses and if this works out I’m happy to stay in my lane. In three years time I want to be here full time.” Taking a wider look at the industry Scott says, “I would also like to see further eco-friendly innovations in frames and lenses, so Doctor Oculus can offer even more choice. I really hope that the industry becomes much more sustainable. I want the industry as whole to move in that direction.”

Doctor Oculus has now been shortlisted for Startup business of the year by the Birmingham Business Awards.