About Us
The People at Sharpe & Fowler
Tim Fowler
Tim Fowler joined the practice, then known as Stewart & Sharpe in 1979. At the time it was situated in Charles St behind Stewarts the jewellers, but moved in 1984 to its present location in York St. Tim and his family are originally from Victoria, and he graduated in 1976 from the University of Melbourne. A two-year stint in the Riverland district of South Australia preceeded the move to Tasmania.
Tim enjoys his work and is constantly seeking new challenges. He is committed to improving optometry standards through continuing education and is a registered prescriber of ocular therapeutics. His interests outside work include bushwalking, gardening, fishing and sailing.
Patricia Paprocki
Patricia Paprocki brings to Sharpe & Fowler clients her extensive experience in optometry - including industrial optometry, contact lenses, sports vision training and is an acredited provider of laser vision assessment. This is combined with a particular expertise in dealing with the vision problems of children with learning disabilities as well as general therapeutic optometry.
Patricia has been actively involved in research programs and has frequently given seminars to various community groups. She served for nine years with the Optometric Association as Councillor, Secretary and Vice President. She was also a member of the Board of Registration.
Patricia now resides in Brisbane but we are lucky to have her return 3 times a year for 2 weeks at a time.
Jennifer Blackwell
Jennifer Blackwell started with Sharpe and Fowler in 1987, and she has been Practice Manager for the last 16 years. She has a Diploma in Optical Dispensing from the Dispensing Opticians Guild of Australia, awarded in 1993. As well as running the practice she is central to the sourcing of the fine eyewear we are famous for.
Outside of the practice, her priorities lie with family - her husband Peter, sons Cameron and Jared, and of course Oscar and Liy, her Siamese cats. She counts art, literature, gardening and travel among her interests.
Eye Health Facts
Seeing in the dark
Vision in the dark continues to improve for about 30 minutes after being in bright light, as our eyes switch over from the colour-rich, crisp vision of daylight to the less crisp but more sensitive vision of night.
Once the eyes are adapted to dark, their most sensitive area is off to one side of 'straight ahead', making it possible to sense something out of the corner of your eye that disappears when you look straight at it.
Retinal degenerations, a genetic condition called retinitis pigmentosa, and Vitamin A deficiency can all reduce night vision.