Andrew Griffiths
BSc(Hons) FBCO
Andy was born in Wales and spent his childhood near Canterbury in Kent. He had his first pair of spectacles before his first pair of long pants. He graduated from the City University in London in 1976 with Honours in Optometry and then set off for Woking, just south of London, to complete his pre-registration training.
Andy then worked for an independent optometry practice in the historic town of Lewis (once famous for having seven breweries, seven churches and 79 pubs!).
After working for three years at the El-Maghrabi Hospital for Eyes in Saudi Arabia, he emigrated to Australia in 1986. Andy started his own business in Adelaide and operated a successful and proudly independent optometry practice at Parkside for 28 years.
Andy has consulted at the Royal Society for the Blind’s Low Vision Centre from 1991 to 2016. He has conducted clinics in various outback towns and has been part of the Eye Care Team visiting remote Aboriginal communities in South Australia and the Northern Territory since 1998.
Andy has worked with Sight For All on their projects in Bhutan, Lao and Myanmar. As well as having an energetic commitment to the highest standards of eye care, Andy cultivates strong opinions on his favourite topics – motorbikes, public transport, cycling, fine wine and great ales, government waste, green-washing… and more. He isn’t afraid to share his thoughts with his many and varied clients – which is why his private practice until March 2016 was known as ‘Optometry With Attitude’.
In April 2016 Andy started part time work with Gavin O’Callaghan and David O’Brien at Optometry on Osmond. He continues to work in outback and Aboriginal communities and is available for occasional locum work, but he’s also planning to spend more time fishing cycling.
Andy’s expertise is in primary eye care, contact lenses, optical design & engineering for complex prescriptions, and Indigenous eyecare.