Looking out for eye health

Being fit and healthy are often top priorities and, according to optometrist Sue Callahan, eye health should be no exception.

Ms Callahan has been practising for more than 20 years and opened Docklands’ first optometrical practice, Eyes on Docklands, in December.

Ms Callahan opened the practice with the aim of providing a professional, efficient and friendly service for Docklands’ residents and workers.

“We want to look after our patients and provide them with the highest quality equipment,” Ms Callahan said.

“We want to work out what their needs are and service them and also provide continuity of care so they’re seeing the same person each time they come back.”

While many people might associate optometry simply with needing to wear glasses or contact lenses, Ms Callahan can also assist in other areas of eye health from dry-eye management to eye disease diagnosis.

“We have state-of-the-art equipment which enables us to test people’s eyes to a higher degree and check not just for glasses prescriptions but also the health of their eyes,” Ms Callahan said.

“We have a machine called an OCT, which is like an MRI of the retina so we can pick up diseases like diabetes and glaucoma much earlier than you can without the machine.”

And for clients who require glasses, Eyes on Docklands has a wide range of spectacles, from fashion frames to sunglasses and safety glasses or sporting frames.

According to Ms Callahan, practice technician, dispenser and manager Gary Billings is on hand to ensure each customer gets the right glasses for them.

“Gary is here full-time. He’s our manager but also a highly-trained dispenser and technician and he’s very qualified and experienced in frame selection, adjustments and all of that expertise,” Ms Callahan said.

Ms Callahan said the practice’s “Eye Fit” consultation meant eye care could be tailored precisely to the client’s needs.

“We do a whole analysis of the individual to determine what they need for their lifestyle,” Ms Callahan said.

“We want to provide a service where people know they are completely covered for their needs.”

Eyes on Docklands is located at shop 5, 840 Bourke St.

Visit http://www.eyesondocklands.com.au or call 9629 5495 for more information.

It’s all about the food

At the The Local Burger Co it’s all about the food!

Located at North Wharf, the dine-in and takeaway restaurant has been serving up a range of freshly-made burgers to Docklands workers and residents for the past three months.

According to co-owner Graeme Critchley, fresh, locally sourced ingredients are used in all burgers, and pickles, sauces and syrups are made and not bought.

“I think that’s what makes us different,” Mr Critchly said. “If I bought the same sauce everyone else buys it would taste like every other burger.”

“We try to do things differently.”

The restaurant’s specials menu is testament to that approach, with a changing menu of burgers, milk shakes, chicken wings and more.

“We’ve done kangaroo, duck, surf and turf and teriyaki tofu,” Mr Critchley said.

While the standard menu features 12 burgers, the specials change every three weeks.

“That’s what we’re about,” Mr Critchley said. “The food.”

“I could talk as much as I like about the food, but it’s really something people need to come and experience for themselves.”

And while enjoying your burger, fries or wings you can also sample a soft drink or juice that you wouldn’t normally find in an Australian burger shop.

“All of our stores have these crazy fridges full of drinks from the USA, Mexico. It’s a pretty diverse range,” Mr Critchley said.

“Anything whacky I can get my hands on we’ll stock.”

And if you’re a hot sauce aficionado a visit to The Local Burger Co should definitely be on your to-do list.

“We stock around 40 varieties of hot sauces, from the milder ones to sauces that could peel paint,” Mr Critchley said.

The Local Burger Co also caters for dietary requirements such as gluten intolerance – “making all of our own products allows us to do that.”

So for those who are yet to sample a burger from The Local Burger Co, what does Mr Critchley recommend for first timers?

“I love chicken, so our new burger, the buttermilk fried chicken burger, is my favourite.”

“But the best thing on the menu is the liquid cheese that goes on the chilli fries,” Mr Crithcley said.

“It’s by far the best thing we make and you can put it on anything.”

The Local Burger Co is located at shop 15/60 Siddeley St (near Seafarers Bridge).

Visit http://www.thelocalburgerco.com.au or http://www.facebook.com/thelocalburgerco for more information.