Meet the team: Alvaro Borges, Optical Lead
20 February 2023
Alvaro’s suggestion to those starting out in the industry is based on his own experience.
“Making mistakes, especially early in your career, can be an excellent learning opportunity to grow both as a professional and as an individual,” he says.
Born and brought up in the Porto region of Portugal, Alvaro studied at the University of Minho (Portugal) and at UPC in Barcelona.
“I liked Catalonia so much that I ended up doing my pre-reg there,” he says.
Although he stayed in Barcelona for a while after qualifying, it was back in his native Portugal that he took the plunge and opened his first practice.
He says it wasn’t a pleasant experience, “In 2009 the great financial crisis hit the Portuguese economy hard. Personally, this was a difficult time.”
Although the economy slowly improved, Alvaro says he was “disillusioned” by the way primary care optometrists were given little credit for their role.
He came to the UK where he says his professional life changed for the better.
“It’s been over 10 years since I moved here. I’m grateful for how welcomed I was made to feel and how inclusive and supportive the sector was and is with me.”
“Local optical committees don’t exist in Portugal nor in Spain, “ he continues, “I was inspired by the way the NHS had set up these organisations in statute to represent and support local optical performers and contractors. This realisation prompted me to join the Gloucestershire LOC in 2016.”
He took the position of Chair in 2019, just before the pandemic. In 2021, Alvaro joined LOCSU as an optical lead.
“As an Optical Lead, I feel empowered by LOCSU to enhance and promote the role of LOCs and primary eye care among health decision makers,” he says.
Alvaro is married and has three children. In his spare time, he enjoys endurance sports and has completed a few triathlons, although he admits he “will never have the time and commitment” for a full Ironman!
At home, making kimchi and baking sourdough bread are other favourite pastimes.
He also finds time to volunteer for the charity VCHP (Vision Care for Homeless People) at the Gloucester clinic.
From Portugal to Spain and finally the United Kingdom–it’s been a long journey for Alvaro, but he’s finally found the professional satisfaction he’s been searching for.
“I would never have imagined that my life would change so much, and my career would turn into what it is today,” he reflects, “hopefully, with long lives ahead of us, we should embrace an opportunity when it comes. I’ve always believed that success and failure go hand in hand.”