Key Takeaways

  • Norlase is moving to a hybrid sales and support model in the UK, with Hanson Instruments continuing to serve NHS clinics and Norlase directly supporting private practices and clinic chains
  • Heather Robbins has been appointed national sales director, UK, bringing more than 19 years of ophthalmic and medical device sales experience
  • Norlase will showcase its Lynx Pattern LIO and Echo Pattern Laser at ESCRS 2026 in London

Norlase has announced a transition to a hybrid sales and support model in the United Kingdom, appointing Heather Robbins as national sales director, UK, to oversee the ophthalmic laser manufacturer’s private sector business.

Under the new structure, Norlase’s existing distribution partner, Hanson Instruments, will continue serving National Health Service (NHS) clinics. Ms. Robbins will lead direct sales and support for private practices and clinic chains.

Norlase said the model is intended to combine its partner’s local distribution capabilities with an expanded direct presence as adoption of the company’s retina and glaucoma laser platforms grows in the UK.

“Adopting a hybrid sales model in the UK builds on the momentum we’ve created across Europe,” Oliver Hvidt, CEO and co-founder of Norlase, said in a news release. “By partnering with Hanson to serve NHS clinics while establishing a direct line for private accounts and clinic chains, we can better support the unique needs of UK retina and glaucoma specialists.”

Ms. Robbins brings more than 19 years of ophthalmic and medical device sales experience to the position. She spent 15 years at Optos, most recently serving as regional sales manager for Southwest England and Southern Wales. She previously worked as a territory manager at Allergan, focusing on the company’s glaucoma portfolio.

The company said the new structure is also intended to provide more consistent hands-on service, training, and clinical support to UK ophthalmologists. Norlase noted that the approach extends a strategy of developing a direct, in-market presence that has supported its growth in the United States.

Ms. Robbins will join Mr. Hvidt and Norlase’s international team at the 44th Congress of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS), scheduled for September 11 to 15, 2026, in London.

At the meeting, Norlase will showcase its Lynx Pattern LIO and Echo Pattern Laser and host educational presentations addressing pattern laser trabeculoplasty and vitreoretinal examination before cataract surgery.