We pride ourselves on quality care for each patient, delivering independent comprehensive optometry care with a strong focus on Behavioural optometry, vision therapy, and personalised support.
Welcome to the wide-eyed world and Visionary Gateway of Susan Walton Optometrist at Specialeyes Newcastle. We are an independent, family-operated practice that has been proudly serving the Newcastle and Hunter Valley communities for over 40 years. Led by Susan Walton OAM, our skilled team provides exceptional, personalised eyecare for the whole family. We are a little bit different from the rest because we treat vision as a holistic system, looking deeply at all the demands placed on the visual system for both children and adults.
At our practice, we look beyond clear eyesight to understand how your entire visual system functions. While many people can see 20/20, vision is far more than reading letters on a chart. Vision is a learned, brain-based process involving how the eyes, brain, body, and nervous system work together to interpret, process, and respond to the world around you.
We provide a comprehensive, developmental and rehabilitative approach to eye care that explores the connection between vision, learning, movement, attention, performance, and wellbeing. Whether a child is struggling at school, an athlete wants to sharpen performance, or someone is recovering after a stroke, concussion, whiplash (brain injury), or neurological and immunological stress, we aim to offer support options that may include spectacles and/or vision therapy.
Susan has been in independent practice in the Newcastle area for over 45 years, running her own business for more than 40 of those years. It is a true local family operation, managed alongside her husband Evan. Susan gained her Bachelor of Optometry in 1981 and became an inaugural Fellow of the Australasian College of Behavioural Optometrists (ACBO) in 1988.
She was awarded an OAM in 2014 for her services to community health, particularly for her role in providing voluntary eye care for over 20 years to those with special needs as part of the Opening Eyes branch of the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes program. In 2019, Susan received the ACBO Presidents Award, recognising her many contributions to Behavioural Optometry.
Susan specialises in Behavioural and Neuro-Developmental Eyecare as well as Sports Vision, having served as a past National Chairperson. She is currently the Asia-Pacific & Australian Director of the Opening Eyes Program for the Special Olympics, a capacity that has seen her attend the Atlanta Olympics and three Special Olympics World Games in the USA and Ireland. Locally, Susan was the Sports Vision consultant to the Hunter Academy of Sport for over 20 years. She thoroughly enjoys and remains extremely passionate about her profession.
Hannah is one of our accredited, in-house Vision Therapists. She has a great rapport working with the many children who undertake our programs to assist with visual difficulties affecting their learning progress. She also works with adults facing a variety of visual deficits associated with stroke, illness, or acquired and traumatic brain injury.
Her passion shines through when helping patients build new skills. Outside the practice, with her own business Hannah writes an informative blog discussing visual development, motor and sensory development, the nervous system, and self-care protocols.
Kellie joined our team in early 2019 as our Receptionist and Office Administration extraordinaire. Since starting, Kellie has enthusiastically completed numerous courses to grow her optical knowledge and offer our patients the best care possible, transitioning into one of our qualified in-house Vision Therapists. Kellie and her family have known Susan for 20+ years through local family businesses, and three generations of the family continue to be patients of the practice.
Kellie is always willing to help where needed.
Anna is our Optical Dispenser and joined our team in late 2024. She has worked within the Optical Industry since 2007 and therefore brings a wealth of experience to the important aspect of choosing eyewear.
Anna always aims to find a solution for any problem, and loves getting to know her patients while she guides them to find the perfect frame and lens design. Anna originated from Sydney and relocated to the Hunter region in 2024. She enjoys spending time gardening at home with her husband and exploring new places.
Lauren also joined our team in late 2024 as the welcoming face you will see on arrival and the friendly voice on the phone ready to help with any queries you may have. Lauren moved to the Hunter region from Armidale, where she worked as an ophthalmic technician for 3 years, doing internal ocular scanning as well as assisting with eye injections. She has always had a keen interest in eyes and loves to learn more through Susan, the team and our patients.
Lauren loves trying new food, exploring new places, and spending time with her fiancee, their cat and their dog.
We aim to make the process of booking your appointment as simple and stress-free as possible. Whether you are seeking a routine eye examination, a developmental vision assessment, Vision Therapy support, or an Orthokeratology consultation, our team is here to guide you toward the most appropriate care.