Erik Ryderberg

Erik Ryderberg got acquainted with the optical world very early in his career when working as an intern at an optical store in southern Sweden. It wasn’t a profession he’d thought of before, but he recalls “it fitted him like a glove”. After graduating as an optometrist from Karolinska Institute in Stockholm in 1996, he held several roles in Sweden’s optical industry. He worked as a regional sales manager with prescription lens manufacturer Essilor, ran his own optical stores for over ten years and worked as an optometrist and clinical quality manager at the refractive surgery clinic Memira. In the meantime, he obtained his master’s degree in clinical optometry at Salus University in the United States and followed advanced training in anterior and posterior segments at the same university.

Now, Erik is Head of Professional Advancement at Specsavers in Sweden, working with strategic issues in clinical quality, Specsavers’ focus on eye health, and the optometrist’s role in stores. He’s also the link between the company and several stakeholders in eye care and involved in organising the yearly Clinical Conference for all Nordic countries. And if that isn’t enough yet, he’s also chairman of the Nomination Committee of the Swedish Optometry Association (Optikerförbundet).

Erik is an avid advocate of the role of optometrists and the clinical work they do: “I see lots of expertise in our industry that simply isn’t used. We, as optometrists, know much more than we use – and that’s a shame. If I can encourage professionals in our company to do more and further exploit their abilities – then I have succeeded.”

Apart from work, Erik’s happy places include snow or water. When he gets the chance, he finds himself either skiing at high altitudes or scuba diving deep below the surface of the ocean. Less extreme – but equally satisfying – is his love for driving his veteran moped slowly through the Swedish landscapes during summer.

On the programme
Erik will be part of a panel discussing how to keep up now the optometry profession is changing (in Swedish). This panel also consists of Karim Makdoumi, Tony Pansell, Rune Brautaset, Eva Sturk Franzén, and Oskar Johansson. You can read more on the programme page.