A Rossendale optician who specialises in diagnosing rare conditions has been named as Contact Lens Optician of the Year 2012.

Nick Howard, who works at Rawtenstall’s David Gould Opticians, in Bank Street, Rawtenstall, has been recognised for his success at diagnosing complex cases including keratoconus.

Keratoconus is a degenerative disorder of the eye and can cause substantial distortion of vision, with multiple images, streaking and sensitivity to light. It affects around one in 2000 people.

The 53-year-old father-of-two, from Saddleworth, said: “It is absolutely amazing to win this award. It is the highest accolade I could ever receive. I deal with a lot of rare conditions and I spend my days actively managing my clients’ eyesight.

“I have diagnosed and treated around 140 cases of keratoconus throughout my career.

“Some people have no choice but to wear contact lens as spectacles provide no help to their sight. I also work with young children, usually under the age of three. This can prove very difficult, not only having skill of fitting the lens but being able to communicate with child about their level of sight.”

The awards were run by trade magazine Optician’s Journal.