Tammie Loughlin

If you had asked Tammie Loughlin a few years ago whether she would one day be speaking at national industry events, building a consultancy, and advocating for inclusive vision care, she would probably have laughed and quietly gone back to the dispense she was doing. Her journey hasn’t followed the traditional path many expect in healthcare, and in many ways, that’s exactly why it matters.

Tammie began her career in optics because she genuinely cared about people. Eyesight is deeply personal; it shapes independence, confidence, education, and how people connect with the world around them. But the longer she worked in practice, the more she noticed something uncomfortable: our systems weren’t built for everyone.

Patients who were deaf struggled to access appointments. Autistic patients found the sensory environment overwhelming. Wheelchair users encountered physical barriers before they even reached the testing room. People experiencing homelessness were often excluded entirely from routine care. These weren’t isolated incidents, they were patterns. And once you see that pattern, it becomes impossible to ignore.

At the same time, Tammie’s own lived experience with AuDHD (Autism and ADHD) gave her a different lens through which to understand these barriers. Navigating environments not designed with neurodivergent people in mind helped her recognise gaps others simply didn’t notice. Instead of seeing that perspective as a disadvantage, she began to realise it was actually one of her greatest strengths.

But her understanding of inclusion didn’t come only from work or diagnosis, it also came from life. From her family, from the communities around her, and from the heritage and experiences that shape how people see the world.

Her sister is profoundly deaf, and through that experience she has witnessed first-hand how often healthcare systems still fail to communicate in accessible ways. Her brother lives with sight loss, giving her a deeply personal understanding of the importance of accessible vision care. Within her wider family, disability and diversity are simply part of everyday life, her nephew is an amputee, and her children’s grandmother is Indian, bringing a rich cultural heritage that has helped shape their understanding of identity, belonging, and community.

These experiences mean inclusion has never been an abstract concept for Tammie. It is personal, visible, and present in everyday life. As a parent, she has also watched her own children navigate challenges including anxiety and neurodivergence, reinforcing daily that healthcare systems must work for real people with complex lives.

That understanding became the foundation for Loughlin’s Optics – Inclusivity Starts with Vision, her consultancy focused on helping optical practices create environments that genuinely welcome everyone. Her work revolves around bridging the gap between legislation, professional standards, and the real experiences patients have when they walk through the door. Accessibility should never be an afterthought or a box-ticking exercise, it should be embedded into the design of care from the beginning.

Alongside this work, Tammie has also contributed to wider conversations within the profession. Her writing has been published in Optician magazine, where she shares insights on inclusive patient care and accessibility in optical practice. She has also had the privilege of welcoming national campaigners for inclusion to industry stages, helping amplify voices that challenge professionals to rethink how healthcare environments are designed and delivered.

One of the most meaningful parts of her journey has been volunteering with Vision Care in Plymouth. Working within this community highlights just how transformative access to eye care can be. Something as simple as a pair of glasses can restore confidence, improve employability, and allow someone to reconnect with the world around them. It is a powerful reminder that healthcare isn’t just about treatment, it’s about dignity.

There have been challenges along the way. Building a voice in an established profession while navigating neurodivergence, chronic illness, and family life requires resilience and determination. There are still moments of imposter syndrome, moments where she wonders whether she should step back rather than step forward.

But every time a patient shares that they finally felt comfortable during an appointment, or a practitioner explains that they changed their approach because of something she spoke about, it reinforces why this work matters.

If Tammie’s journey has taught her anything, it is that meaningful change in healthcare rarely begins with policy, it begins with empathy. When professionals truly listen to people’s lived experiences, they uncover opportunities to design better systems for everyone.

Looking ahead, her ambition is simple: to ensure inclusive vision care becomes the standard, not the exception. Because when healthcare is designed with empathy, shaped by lived experience, family, community, and heritage, barriers begin to disappear. The result is a world where everyone can access care without prejudice or bias.

A world where everyone belongs.