Meet team kiddies!
your children deserve an expert
A child’s vision can have a huge impact on the rest of their lives.
Untreated visual acuity and ocular motor problems can greatly affect the learning abilities of our children from a very young age.
Our highly qualified staff maintain their skills and knowledge to offer you the latest in frame design and lens product. They endeavour to give you all the information you require about your eyes and/or treatment that may be required, including costs.
They have the compassion, empathy and patience to allocate the time required to select, fit and deliver glasses that are custom-fitted to each child’s face. More importantly, they have the respect and the patience to treat each child as an individual and to attend to their needs.
Our staff will also respect the confidence of your information and will only disclose information where you consent, or the law requires.
Our Team
Nicky Kiparissis
As a mother of three school- and working children, Nicky understands the real concerns of parents when it comes to the well-being of their children. Being a big kid herself, she provides a warm, friendly, fun, and safe environment for all children to enjoy. The waiting room is full of books and toys for every little boy and girl of all ages.
Her friendly caring and caring manner is able to ease all children into doing the best they can.
Nicky graduated from the University of Melbourne with both a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and Genetics as well as a Bachelor of Science in Optometry in 1992. After graduating, Nicky has worked exclusively in private practice for over twenty years, in the field of Optometry. She has a special interest in Paediatric Optometry and is keen to assist children who have eye and vision related learning difficulties.
Nicky is committed to providing outstanding eye care services for children and adults. Her practice takes into account the health, development and well-being of children and their seeing abilities. Nicky is an active member of Australasian College of Behavioural Optometrists (ACBO) and Australian Optometry Association
Nicky loves to solve people’s problems and to see children regain lost confidence and learn to read and succeed at school. She consults in both our Yarraville and Geelong clinic.
Mother/Behavioural Optometrist/Director
Lucy has worked as a Critical Care Nurse until she decided to pursue her career in the field of optometry.
As mother of three, Lucy is based in Geelong and understands the importance of vision related learning difficulties in children. She is both experienced and sensitive to the needs of parents and their children’s needs.
Lucy’s special interest in Paediatric, Behavioural and Developmental Optometry, has led her to extend her skills in Vision Therapy which also includes treating Concussion and Brain injury patients, both in children and adults.
Lucy second passion is Myopia control so that she can assist to prevent or minimise myopia progression. She is leading our team with her Ortho K experience, as well as being accredited to prescribing MiyoSmart and MiSight lenses and contact lenses. Be sure to also ask Lucy about your dry eye concerns, so that she can assess the rate of dropout of your meibomian glands, and that she can prescribe the correct dry eye therapy, which could be a combination of Bruder eye mask, Manuka honey drops to the Blephasteam treatment that we can offer.
In her spare time, Lucy enjoys being with family and friends and exploring new places.
Be sure to book in and see Lucy both in Geelong and occasionally in our Yarraville clinic.
Lucy Bailey
behavioural Optometrist
Chi Ong
With strong family values, Chi understands the importance of every child that comes to Kiddies. Although Chi, is yet to start a family, he is very empathetic with the parents and their
concerns.
Chi finds myopia control the most rewarding as it allows measurable results of success to be shown to the parents. At Kiddies Eye Care, Chi has access to the most up to date technology to manage all patients. Providing a consistent and comfortable environment for them is critical for compliance with testing and management. Chi is also therapeutically endorsed, which means he can prescribe special eye drops for conditions such as dry eye and myopia control.
Chi is currently enrolled in an Advanced Contact Lenses course to compliment his expertise and look after his patients to the best of this capability.
Beyond the Bachelor of Optometry at the University of Melbourne, Chi has completed the Management of Paediatric Patients (Uni Melb), Advanced Clinical Optometry Postgraduate Diploma (Uni Melb) and Myopia Education Program (Brian Holden Vision Institute).
Outside of work, you can find Chi on his regular run, at an indoor rock-climbing gym or on the ski slopes.
Chi consults primarily in our Yarraville clinic, but can be sometimes found in our Geelong clinic too.
behavioural Optometrist
Hannah graduated from Melbourne Uni with a Bachelor of Optometry in 2012, and completed post graduate units in Behavioural Optometry at UNSW in 2016. She has further expanded her knowledge in this field with courses in vision therapy, neuro-optometric rehabilitation and myopia control.
Following graduation, Hannah has worked across regional Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne, giving her a wide range of experience in many areas of optometry including paediatrics. Originally from Shepparton, she now calls Melbourne home.
Hannah especially enjoys working with patients with binocular vision (eye focussing) dysfunctions and post-concussion syndrome, and seeing the improvement that lenses and vision therapy can make in patients’ ability to read, drive and perform other daily tasks with more ease.
Outside of work, Hannah is a cat mum to two adventurous and energetic gingers. She also enjoys hiking with her walking club, spending time in the kitchen, and trying to figure out where she can fit in another plant on her rooftop garden.
Hannah can be found at our Yarraville and Geelong clinics.
Hannah Thorp
behavioural Optometrist
Rob
Rob has a background in Science and loves seeing how much of a difference bettering children’s vision has. He is our resident handy-man, an expert in all frame repairs!
Having grown up in Williamstown as an older brother to his four siblings, Rob loves family, friends, fishing and football.
Robyn
Originally from New Zealand, Robyn has come to us with experience teaching children overseas. You will often find Robyn hiding near the lollipop tin serving her favourite flavour to all - Broccoli!
In her spare time, Robyn enjoys food, travel and spending time with her grandchildren.
After completing a Bachelor’s degree in Business, Jasmine joined our team and has been responsible for selecting only the best frame and lens designs for all of our patients.
Jasmine enjoys pilates, cooking, travelling, and spending time with family and friends.
Jasmine
Kawsser
Kawsser is a loud and proud big sister and has a passion for children and putting a smile on their faces - whether it be choosing glasses, or just getting a special lollipop!
With a background in psychology and paediatric development, Kawsser is happy to help (and always up for a good chat)!
Barbara
As a qualified optical dispenser, Barbara is the go-to for the optimal frame and lens design (for kids of all ages!)
She a mother of two, and has a background and passion for Science. In her spare time, Barbara enjoys learning new things, spending time with family, jigsaw puzzles and eating violet crumble.
harry
Harry is the master of our technology and you’ll often find him sitting behind our Widefield and Biometry machines - but always keeping things fun!
Harry is currently a student in the doctor of Optometry program at the University of Melbourne, however his connection to our clinic runs even deeper than optometry - he’s the younger brother of Rob!
Akshi
Akshi is currently studying a Doctor of Optometry, and looks forward to making a positive impact and improving vision and ocular health in both rural and metro areas.
When she’s not at uni, Akshi enjoys travelling, hiking, a good game of Mario kart and KFC.
Emma
Emma is currently finishing her Bachelor of Psychological Sciences, with an interest with working with children on the spectrum. You can find her on the reception floor for your enquires or for babysitting duties.
Emma enjoys creative arts and puzzles and loves her cat.
demi
Currently working as a junior doctor, Demi can sometimes be found in the reception and helping children with frame selection.
Demi is an enthusiast of musicals, coffee and cheese and is always happy to give good book recommendations.
Andrew
Originally a primary school teacher, Andrew’s passion lies in fashion and product research. Andrew is also a resident frame stylist when requested.
In his spare time, you will find Andrew being an Uber driver to his three children and his other passions are cars and cooking.
“Testing children is a privilege no one should take for granted. It is the opportunity for important underlying issues to be identified. Don’t waste that opportunity.”