Eyecare Plus Burleigh

The Hare family name has a long association with Southport. Grandfather (Bert) Hare was a local identity in the 50’s and 60’s. He conducted a small  electrical business in Nind Street until the late 60’s. Michael’s father RC (Bob) owned holiday accommodation in Labrador until the 90’s.

Michael completed his schooling on the Gold Coast and graduated from university in 1975.

Queensland Optometrist of the year 2002, Michael commenced practice at the 17 Nerang Street Southport location of Brian Job Optical in 1977. In 2010 he became sole owner of this site and the Benowa Gardens practice. In 2019, Michael opened his third practice in Burleigh Waters with Australia’s first EYE MAX Theatre featuring the nation’s first Optos Monaco. Optos Monaco provides an exciting new way to enhance a patient’s clinical exam with ultra-widefield retinal imaging and integrated OCT.

A councillor for the Queensland Division of Optometry Australia for 20 years, Michael served as Gold Coast representative for many of these. He served as State President from 1992-1994 and National Vice President from 1994-1999.

Michael has travelled widely both in Australia and abroad in numerous activities aimed at raising the profile of Optometry. He has lectured, been a clinical supervisor at the School of Optometry, QUT and has published widely in optometric literature. He continues to offer external training placement opportunities for University undergraduate Optometry students.

He became a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry in 1997 and has completed the 1993 Pennsylvania College of Optometry Ocular Therapeutics course and received a Graduate Certificate in Ocular Therapeutics from QUT in 2006.

Michael is a member of the Contact Lens Society of Australia, The National Vision Research Institute, The Australian College of Optometry and Optometry Australia. Member of the Australian Optometric Panel sees him called upon by both the optometry profession and optical industry to provide professional advice and guidance in many optometry related matters. Michael has special interests in low vision care, contact lenses, ocular pathology and clinical photography. He is a previous international ocular photography competition winner. International humanitarian aid missions have seen Michael provide his optometry skills to the people of Western Samoa, Yap in the Federated state of Micronesia, Truk, Pohpei and Kosrae.

A keen runner much of Michael’s little spare time is spent trekking remote Gold Coast hinterland trails. He is the manager and sponsor of the Misfits touch football team now past its 50th season in Gold Coast competition. He’s been married to Maree for over 25 years and has three adult children.

Jonathan McCorriston joined Visions in 2007 on graduating from QUT in 2006.

After a previous working life including retail and manufacturing managerial roles and 7 years as the proprietor of his own business, Jonathan made the decision to return to University with the aim of becoming an optometrist.

Jonathan has a passion for quality eye care. He loves helping his patients understand their vision and look after their eye health. This passion was recognised in August 2010 when he received the Eyecare Plus Professional Recognition Award “for achieving the highest standards of practice”. This included further training at the Essilor University in Paris in multifocal spectacle lens designs and application. We were justly proud of this recognition of Jonathan’s dedication.

Whilst studying optometry Jonathan developed an interest in specialty contact lenses. This includes orthokeratology, the practice of providing a custom designed retainer lens that the patient only wears while they sleep each night. Jonathan pursues excellence in this specialty and has many happy patients enjoying clear vision all day with no glasses on contact lenses in. Jonathan says “I love the look of sheer joy when a patient finds they can see after removing their contact lenses.”

Jonathan has completed further training to register as a CASA Designated Optometrist. Jonathan also provides care for low vision patients and vision training when required for children with eye teaming difficulties.

Away from optometry, Jonathan has been the Bass Trombonist and Band Master for the Salvation Army Band at Southport for many years and recently joined the Gold Coast Philharmonic Orchestra. Jonathan and Julie, his wife of 21 years, have three children.

Memberships:
Optometry Australia
Cornea and Contact Lens Society of Australia
Orthokeratology Society of Oceania

Certifications:
Civil Aviation Safety Authority Credentialed Optometrist (CASA)

Georgia moved to the Gold Coast with her family in 1995 and completed her schooling at Somerset College in Mudgeeraba. She completed a degree in Psychological Science before commencing work at a paediatric optometry practice as a therapist providing vision training for a wide range of patients. A love for and an interest in optometry was sparked and she commenced her optometry studies at QUT in Brisbane.

During her five years of study at QUT she worked as a therapist, optical dispenser and for a time worked for the worlds largest lens manufacturer, Essilor. Georgia completed her studies and graduated with highest honours possible, ‘Distinction’ for her Bachelor and Masters studies and was granted entry into the International Golden Key Society for her academic achievements. Her achievements continue as she awaits professional publication of her research completed during her Masters Degree.

Georgia maintains a deep social conscience, having in the past worked on programs associated with Rotary, Red Cross and Lifeline. During her time studying she partook in many volunteer vision screenings throughout South East Queensland, providing optometric services to those with reduced access to eye care. She was selected to complete a placement position in the Northern Territory with the Brien Holden Institute, an internationally recognised organisation providing eye care services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in remote and rural communities.

During her studies, Georgia married her husband and they adopted their first child, their rescue dog Chino. Georgia is very family oriented and is delighted to now be fortunate enough to be expecting their first human child, due to make her debut mid 2018.

Georgia joined the Vision Michael Hare family as an optical dispenser during her studies and is thrilled to be able to continue on with us in her new capacity as an optometrist. She is passionate about people and health care and considers herself a lifelong student, always pursuing new knowledge and dedicated to providing the best tailored optometric service she can for her patients.

Georgia is an absolute delight and we are so proud to have her as a new and motivated member of our team.

Peter graduated from university in Brisbane in 1980 and moved to Adelaide to start his career. Here he worked for both private and corporate practices and provided eyecare services to inmates at Yatala Prison. In 2008, he and his wife Leah moved to the Gold Coast for “a 6 month working holiday”. The climate and beaches of the Gold Coast were too good to resist and they made the Gold Coast their permanent home. Peter joined Vision Michael Hare Eyecare Plus Optometrists in 2019. He enjoys the combination of exercising clinical skills and connecting with people that optometry provides, and aims to deliver the highest standard of care. Outside of work, Peter enjoys the great outdoors – running, cycling and spending time at the beach.

Eleanor completed her Bachelor of Optometry Degree at QUT in Brisbane and has since worked in a diverse range of communities including regional NSW, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Townsville. Eleanor then returned to university to complete a Post Graduate Certificate in Ocular Therapeutics in 2008 to prescribe medicines to treat eye disease. These further qualifications led to work in ophthalmology practice and, therefore, Eleanor has a particular interest and knowledge in the management and treatment of ocular pathology for over 13 years. 

Eleanor commenced work with Vision Michael Hare at the new Burleigh location in November 2019 and also continues her role as a Clinical Optometrist in Ophthalmology.  Eleanor’s experience, in conjunction with the state of the art equipment at Burleigh, enables a comprehensive consultation to test for ocular disease as well as various retinal issues. Having worked on the Gold Coast since 1996, Eleanor has a loyal following. 

Outside of work, Eleanor enjoys fitness and running. Eleanor and her husband are very proud of their young adult children. 

Maree’s optical career began in 2005 at a family-owned practice in Laidley, west of Brisbane. Learning old-school dispensing, she trained under some of the industry’s finest. 2009 saw her move on into a Practice Manager role with a 24 strong staff at a large inner Brisbane city store. Maree has a great understanding of the importance of staff training and it quickly became a passion of hers. Subsequently, she developed a staff training program to ensure her team’s delivery of the same good old fashioned customer service.

Fast forward a few years and trying a few of the well-known chain store optometrists, she missed the personalisation that a family-owned practice offered. After moving to the Gold Coast in early 2017, Maree felt she’d had found home. Joining the Vison Michael Hare team to manage and help open his third store at the end of 2019 at Burleigh Stockland, she brings with her that same passion of customer focus and service. Maree loves creating a store environment that is welcoming, stylish and inspiring.

One of Maree’s core values is that she always endeavours to treat her patients like they are her family and friends. She consistently offers honest advice with and mix of practicality and fun, and sometimes even a dash of cheek. Maree just loves the vibe in Burleigh and her new extended family.

Maree takes great pride in offering her clients something different to all the rest, so you know you’ll always find a touch of luxury with a difference when you visit her in store. Maree strongly believes that our glasses are an extension of us and our personalities and she loves helping people find their perfect fit.

Over the years, Maree has both indulged in and experimented with various sports and hobbies. Most recently she has expanded her love of animals by adding to her family her most favourite creatures, Green Tree Frogs. Taking up painting underwater scenes is another of her latest projects. Maree has both travelled and lived overseas and wishes to one day explore Europe.  Her first love will always be her family.