Staff Biographies

Charl Laäs

B.Optom (RAU), CAS (USA), BSc.Med.Sc (Hons) Epidemiology (Stell), F.O.A.(SA)

Charl is a registered Optometrist and director of Charl Laas Optometrists.  He has a special interest in advanced soft and rigid contact lens fitting with specific focus on Orthokeratology and the rehabilitation of the traumatised and irregular cornea.  He is an associate senior lecturer at the University of the Orange Free State School of Optometry and is also involved in clinical research and has been presenting lectures and papers on eye care at various national & international congresses for the past 10 years.

He is co-founder and director of the South African Contact Lens Institute.  The Institute is working on a range of activities involving post graduate education in Africa. Charl is also a director of The OrthoK Institute, providing services and technical assistance to practitioners related to Orthokeratology.  He also serves as a trustee for Jonga Trust, a Non Profit Organisation involved with providing eye care for disadvantaged people of South Africa

In the past Charl has participated in the Red Cross flying doctors program and later served as part time optometric consultant at the Western Cape Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital.  He has served as regional representative of the South African Optometric Association (SAOA) in the Western Cape and was later elected as a director of the South African Optometric Association.

He qualified as an Optometrist from the Rand Afrikaans University of Johannesburg. Since then he has completed studies in Management Development at the University of Stellenbosch Graduate School of Business, Certificate of Advance studies in Ocular Disease & Diagnostic Pharmaceutical application at the Graduate Institute of Optometry, South Africa and an Honours degree in Epidemiology at the University of Stellenbosch. He has further completed certificate courses in overnight Orthokeratology (USA), Public speaking & presentations, Outcome based education methods and Computer literacy skills including topics like computer programming, electronic marketing and web site development.

Charl is a member of the South African Optometric Association and the American Academy of Orthokeratology.  He has received certificates of appreciation for contribution to Eye care delivery in the community from the SAOA and the Phelophepa Health Train project. Charl is also a member of the Lions Organisation and serves on the sight committee of the Lions Club.

Basil Kotzé

B.Optom (RAU), CAS (USA), F.O.A.(SA)

Basil is a registered Optometrist with Charl Laäs Optometrists.  He has been in private practice since 2001 and is very passionate about Optometry.  He is particularly interested in complex soft contact lens fitting, custom spectacle lens designing and lifestyle dispensing.  Basil is also involved in paediatric and school screening projects for disadvantaged children coordinated by Jonga Trust.

Basil grew up in the Free State and started his career in Optometry working for a private practice in East London.  Here he also became involved in community service working at clinics in the Cecilia Makiwane and Frere hospitals in the Eastern Cape.  He later moved to Cape Town with his wife Liesel, also an Optometrist, where he worked as an Optometrist for a group practice.

Basil qualified as an Optometrist at the Rand Afrikaans University of Johannesburg.  Being committed to providing the best Optometry care, Basil has continued studying post graduate courses in Optometry and has completed a Certificate of Advanced Study in Ocular Disease and Diagnostic Pharmaceutical Application and a Certificate of Advanced Study in Therapeutic Pharmaceutical Agents from the Graduate Institute of Optometry.  Not finished, Basil enrolled and is currently studying for a degree in Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the University of Stellenbosch Graduate School of Business.

He is a member of the Health Professions Council South Africa (HPCSA) and the South African Optometric Association (SAOA). Basil is committed to quality eye care and building personal long term relationships with his patients.

Nicholas Robertson-Muir

ND.Optical Dispensing (CPUT)

Nicholas is the lens consultant and laboratory manager at Charl Laäs Optometrists. He is a qualified Dispensing Optician with extensive experience in ophthalmic lens manufacturing and fitting.  Nick has a special interest in advance lens glazing such as nylor-, rimless- and high base curve fits. Using the state of the art Nidek Lex 1000 electronic edger and drill system, he has taken these difficult fits and perfected it to a work of art.  As lens consultant, Nick draws from his in depth knowledge of the many types of ophthalmic lenses on the market and their manufacturing procedures to provide a tailor made solution of lens and frame choices.

Nick started his career in the optical field working for a lens laboratory, manufacturing ophthalmic lenses.  Later he became a laboratory manager for an optometric group overseeing the manufacturing and glazing process for the group.

After attending Settlers High School, Nicholas graduated as a Dispensing Optician from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in 2002.

Nicholas is a member of the South African Optometric Association (SAOA).  In his spare time he is a bit of a technophile and an avid gamer. His other hobbies include paintball and playing with fire!  Not that fire…, he practices fire twirling.

Johann Swart

ND.Optical Dispensing (CPUT)

Johann graduated as a Dispensing Optician in 2009.  His practice duties at Charl Laäs Optometrists consist in part of optical laboratory work in the form of cutting and fitting of ophthalmic lenses using the modern Nidek Lex 1000 edger and driller and in part optical dispensing work.  His optical dispensing duties entail the choosing, fitting, adjustment and repair of spectacle frames and the order and checking of ophthalmic lenses and rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lenses.

Johann is also integrally involved in assisting with the community and school clinics the practice conducts on a monthly basis.

Johann matriculated at Durbanville High School and studied to to become a Dispensing Optician at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.

At home, Johan is a keen rugby enthusiast and is a qualified Westen Province Rugby referee. His other great passion is motor cars, motor cars and motor cars.  Need we say more!

Ina-Marié Nieuwoudt

Ina-Marie is the optometric assistant and frontline manager at Charl Laäs Optometrists with over 10 years of experience in optics.  According to her, her main speciality is organising her boss’ day, a truly hair raising task!   Ina also receives and looks after the clients at the practice, manages the contact lens and solution stock and provides soft and rigid contact lens training.

Ina started her career in optics working as an optometric debtor's clerk and stock controller. There after she became an Au Pair for 5 years working in Italy, England and finally in the USA.  Returning to South Africa, Ina took up her career in optics again, working as optical assistant and debtor controller.  She later became a sales consultant of spectacle frames at a group practice. During her 4 year stay there, she was the top sales person in the branch for every month running, eventually becoming the floor manager and was also placed in charge of stock management.

Ina-Marié matriculated from Wellington High School after which she completed courses at Tygerberg Technical College in marketing, secretarial and computer literacy.  In the USA she completed a course in Child growth and development at the Aquinas College in Massachusetts.  Ina also completed the South African Optometric Association Optometric (SAOA) 'Assistants course' and the Ciba Vision 'Advance Optical Assistants' course.

Ina-Marié is an easy going person who loves working with people. Most of her spare time goes into caring for her dog, Chocolate, and 2 parrots, Paulie and Charlie.  Her hobbies include cross stitching and scrap-booking, which she combines with the making of cross stitched birthday and Christmas cards, stockings and baby bibs.

Ilse de la Rey

B.Mus (Performing Arts), Diploma in Fashion design (Fashion Academy)

Ilse has been with Charl Laäs Optometrist for 8 years where she has been managing the sourcing and ordering of fashion frames and ophthalmic lenses. She is also responsible for final quality control of the finished products. Her niche is working in a smaller private practice where special individual care is required. Her keen eye for fashion helps to keep the practice in the frontline for the newest and most fashionable products available from Europe and the rest of the world.

In the past Ilse has worked at an Optometric practice catering for overseas clientele. She has also worked as a clothing designer in the corporate industry and later moved to the more intimate environment of a boutique where she was a manager and freelance wedding gown designer. For several years Ilse has also travelled the world, serving as an air hostess for SAA on international flights.

Ilse qualified in B.Mus. in the Performing Arts at University of Pretoria.  She holds an international Fashion Design diploma and also qualified in Advance Fashion design at Intec college. She also completed various Optometry related courses like the South African Optometric Association (SAOA) ‘Optometric Assistants’ course, Ciba Vision ‘Advance Optical Assistants’ course and the Bausch & Lomb 'Contact lens marketing' course.

In her spare time Ilse likes to do interior decorating, gardening and reading. She is very devoted to her family and enjoys being involved with her son’s school projects.

Adré du Toit

B.Tech. Food Service Management

Adré is the Bookkeeper and financial controller at Charl Laäs Optometrists.  Her primary functions include liaising with medical aid companies and debtors and also attending to the full spectrum of accounting duties and patient interaction as found in an optometric practice.

During her student years Adré gained valuable commercial experience in the fields of insurance, banking, consulting engineering and event management.  After completing her studies, she spend several years in the hospitality industry gaining experience in the operations of restaurants and food distribution companies.  Interested in the management side of business, she eventually became the Admin manager of a large restaurant in Gordon’s Bay.

Adré matriculated from Jim Fouché High School in Bloemfontein and obtained her Diploma in Food Service Management from the Free State University of Technology in Bloemfontein.  She also holds a certificate in Office Administration from the Quest Business Academy and a certificate in Accountancy from Varsity College.  She completed the South African Optometric Association (SAOA) ‘Optometric Assistants’ course and the Ciba Vision ‘Advance Optical Assistants’ course as well as various computer literacy courses including Microsoft Office-, Pilot computer management-, Pastel accounting- and Omni Accounts software.  

Adré is an avid outdoors lover and completed several horseback endurance rides, parachute jumps and 4 X 4 trips in her ‘wild’ years, before settling down to raise their daughter with her husband Willem.

Written by :

Charl Laas