Practising in optics for over two decades and working with optometry and dispensing students as well as industry, Grant Hannaford is at the forefront of ophthalmic optics in Australia. He is an ophthalmic physicist, researcher, lens designer and qualified optical dispenser.

Grant graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in physics and pure mathematics from the University of New England. He holds a qualification in spectacle lens design with honours from the UK under the tutelage of Professor Mo Jalie.

He is a Fellow of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians and the Australasian Dispensing Opticians Association. Grant is also an adjunct senior lecturer at the School of Optometry and Vision Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences UNSW.

He is the past Chairman of the NSW Optical Dispensers Education Trust and the past Vice President of ADOA (NSW). Grant also consults for various international education projects providing resources for best practice models. 

He is currently a doctoral candidate researching ocular biometry under Dr Nicola Logan at the School of Life and Health Sciences at Aston University, Birmingham England.