CECILIA Navarro Tudela is an optometrist, business owner and mother, who is currently on maternity leave after having her second child two months ago. Ahead of Mother’s Day we spoke to her about how she is juggling her career with having a young family.
Thanks for speaking to us Cecilia, tell us a little bit about yourself.
‘I am originally from Agres, but now live and work as an optometrist and store director here in Javea. I have worked for Specsavers Ópticas for 13 years and became a joint store director one year ago. I am also the proud mother to two beautiful children, Sara aged 5 and Hugo aged just 2 months.’
What attracted you to being an optometrist?
‘I was attracted to optometry as a profession, as I liked science and loved the idea of being able to help people see better and save sight through providing quality eye care.’
Have you found it difficult combining your career with becoming a mother?
‘I am proud to be able to combine being a business owner, professional optometrist, and a Mum to two children. There’s no doubt that working Mums have a difficult job on their hands to balance their personal and professional responsibilities, but with the right support and team around you it is possible to pursue a career you love.
‘Achieving a good work-life balance is always difficult, but there are lots of good companies out there trying to support women to find that happy medium. I really value the fact that at Specsavers Ópticas there is no pay gap and the working conditions and opportunities are equal for both men and women. Thankfully, I know there are also many other businesses that are working hard to ensure equal rights and pay.
‘In my case, I really value working in a big company as it gives you support and flexibility. We’ve built up a great team of people at Specsavers Ópticas Javea, who are highly qualified and very hard working. I know I can trust the business in their capable hands and just focus on and enjoy my maternity leave.’
What would your advice be for parents when it comes to their children’s eyes?
‘Look out for signs of vision problems from a young age. Unfortunately, it can be hard for our children to identify problems with their sight or know how to communicate that with you. However, there are some things to look out for which could indicate a vision problem in your child, like, sitting too close to the TV, rubbing their eyes repeatedly, complaining of headaches, being clumsy or squinting.
‘I’d suggest that you get your children’s eyes tested early, as 80% of the information they receive comes through their vision, so poor sight can lead to issues with learning and development. That’s why it’s important to make sure your child has an eye test before they go to school.
‘We know that stopping youngsters from being on phones, tablets, and computers is hard. However, screen time can cause issues such as eye strain, blurred vision and dry eyes. Help your children to reduce the risk of developing these issues by recommending regular breaks away from the screens and reducing how much time they spend on them each day.’
Do you have any advice for the wider family?
‘I’d recommend thinking of an eye test like a health check, rather than just whether you need glasses or not, and book this in regularly, at least every two years. Many eye conditions such as glaucoma develop without any symptoms and only an eye test will alert you to the problem before permanent vision loss occurs. Regular eye tests build healthy lifetime habits for the whole family.’
Thank you Cecilia, enjoy the rest of your maternity leave and Happy Mother’s Day!
You can find Specsavers Ópticas Javea at Avenida Del Pla 125, Edificio Caribe, Local 6. They are located just off the Carretera Cabo la Nao-Pla, near Servicolor. Visit www.specsavers.es to check location and opening times, or to make an appointment for a free eye test.
