About Us
ABOUT US
OUR STORY
Our story at Hansen Optometrists is one rich in history. We are the oldest family run and continual Optometry practices in Australia. First established when Henry Hansen, a Danish jeweller and watchmaker, opened his jeweller shop in Orange where he made and sold spectacles in 1886. In 1902 his son, Fred Hansen, advertising himself as a “Scientific Optician”, was testing eyesight and prescribing spectacles.
In 1945 his sons, Lel and Bob Hansen, continued the tradition as fully trained optometrists. They established Western Optical Pty Ltd with practices in Orange, Parkes and Wellington.
HANSEN OPTOMETRISTS TODAY
Now in its sixth generation, Hansen Optometrists has five optometrists and 14 support staff, and is one of the largest regional practices in Australia with branches in Orange and Parkes.
We are proud to have survived the test of time by continually growing and adapting to the modern age. Providing the best in optometric care and using the very latest advances in technology.
MEET OUR TEAM
Hansen Optometrists are your clinical experts with a highly trained team here to assist you with all your eye care needs.
NICK HANSEN
B Optom. (Hons) FACBO.
Nick Hansen graduated with Honours from the University of New South Wales in 1977 and then becoming involved in Paediatric Optometry with a main interest being the treatment of children with strabismus (eye turn), amblyopia (lazy eye) and visually related learning disabilities. In this area, he has published numerous papers and spoken at various Optometric and Educational Courses both Nationally and Internationally.
Nick Hansen has been a visiting lecturer to the School of Optometry at the University of New South Wales, lecturing in postgraduate Optometry Masters Course. In 1988, he was awarded a Fellowship to the Australasian College of Behavioural Optometrists and is a Past-President of the College. In 1997 he became the first optometrist in Australia to be awarded the title of Behavioural Optometry Specialist by the NSW Board of Optometric Registration. In 1999 he was then elected the first Chairman of the Intercontinental Federation for Behavioral Optometry (IFBO). In 2005 he was awarded the Woodland Memorial Award in recognition of altruistic service and outstanding contributions to Behavioural Optometry in Australasia.
Nick Hansen has also lectured across the country in Optometric Practice Management and is the past Chairman of The Australian Optometric Panel, which is a practice management forum and optometric industry focus group.
SEAN HANSEN
B.Optom. (Hons) FACBO Dip.Teach.
Sean Hansen left high school and undertook a teaching diploma at Mitchell College of Advanced Education in Bathurst and taught primary grades locally in Orange and on Infants classes in Yeoval.
He then returned to the University of New South Wales a few years later to complete a Bachelor of Optometry with first class Honours which he then pursued working at Hansen Optometrist from 1992 til today.
He is passionate about children’s vision and how this relates to learning. He has completed his Fellowship of Behavioural Optometry and many other additional studies in this area.
MARK HANSEN
B.Optom
Mark graduated from the University of New South Wales in 1983.
Having a special interest in sports vision, Mark Hansen was a part of the optometry team that conducted the visual screening on local and visiting athletes of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
This special interest in sports vision has allowed Mark to be quite involved in the Bathurst pistol club.
Mark also specialises in low vision, contact lenses for keratoconus, and often does domiciliary visits for the elderly.
JAKE HANSEN
B.Optom
Originally born in Orange but growing up in Lake Macquarie, Jake moved back in 2008 upon completion of his Optometry degree at the University of New South Wales. Jake is the 3rd generation of Hansen optometrist to work in the practice and is sometimes known as the “young one” much to Sean’s chagrin.
Jake enjoys all aspects of optometry but is particularly interested in children’s vision, the early detection of eye disease, soft contact lenses and orthokeratology. Jake also enjoys community engagement having given numerous talks to local groups, schools and guest lectured at Charles Sturt University. Jake finished his post graduate certificate in ocular therapeutics and is qualified to prescribe ocular medications. He is also a member of the Orthokeratology Society of Oceania.
In his spare time Jake enjoys chasing after his four kids and maintains a collection of reptiles. He is also a licensed venomous snake handler.
Jake enjoys all aspects of optometry but is particularly interested in children’s vision, the early detection of eye disease, soft contact lenses and orthokeratology. Jake also enjoys community engagement having given numerous talks to local groups, schools and guest lectured at Charles Sturt University. Jake finished his post graduate certificate in ocular therapeutics and is qualified to prescribe ocular medications. He is also a member of the Orthokeratology Society of Oceania.
In his spare time Jake enjoys chasing after his four kids and maintains a collection of reptiles. He is also a licensed venomous snake handler.
JUSTIN CLUNAS
B.Optom(Hons), M.Optom, Grad.Cert.Oc.Ther
Justin grew up and went to school in a small country town called Gloucester in the upper Hunter Valley.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Optometry in 1999, he came to Orange to work at Hansens Eyecare Plus as well as working with a local ophthalmologist two days a week.
In 2005, he and his wife moved to Ireland to live for a year followed by seven years in Newcastle. During that time Justin went back to university to complete his Graduate Certificate in Ocular Therapeutics which allows him to prescribe ocular medication.
While in Newcastle he also began a Masters of Optometry at the University of NSW. His masters mainly concentrated on specialty contact lenses and children’s vision.
Since moving back to Orange in 2013, Justin completed his Masters, and now specialises in dry eye treatment, management of eye disease, and the fitting of specialty contact lenses.
Justin loves meeting people of all ages from our community and enjoys looking for ways to maximise their visual potential.
LOUISA TAN
B.Optom
Louisa did a clinical placement with Hansen’s Eyecare Plus in 2018 and found Orange to be a nice town to work and live in. Hence, after graduating from The University of New South Wales in 2019 with a Masters of Clinical Optometry, she came back to work with the practice.
Louisa has developed a special interest in early detection and management of ocular diseases and myopia control. She is a therapeutically endorsed optometrist who can prescribe ocular medications. She is currently finishing up a Certificate in Advanced Contact Lenses.
Louisa enjoys reading, playing the piano, hiking and traveling, and also loves getting to know the people in Orange.