What makes you ethical then?

If you advertise yourself as an #ethicaloptician then quite rightly people are entitled to ask a few questions.

For us the essence of being ethical is about operating our business in a way that we feel comfortable with and so that people feel they can trust us. For example, we don’t like up-selling (or Ryanair pricing as we think of it) where you end up paying far more than you thought you were going to when you decided to purchase. Having prices that are all-inclusive and up-front is important to us and they are on the wall, in big type and on the website www.eyeyesheffield.co.uk/pricing.

We use a Sheffield lab to cut our lenses into frames. Boots get most of their lenses cut in Thailand and fly them over with 4 planes each day – we don’t approve of that. In fact, we try to #supportlocal as much as we can, using local suppliers where possible. Our #cyclefriendlyoptician initiative is driven by the idea of doing things to help make Sheffield a better place to live – giving £10 off to folk who bring their bike in encourages cycling in to town.

We book appointments 1 hour apart, so we have time to listen, be thorough in our checks, explain findings and answer questions. Most Specsavers book appointments 20 minutes apart. That is too rushed for us.

We seek frames that are made from recycled materials. Our Sea-2-See frames are made from plastic retrieved from the Mediterranean by fishing boats. It was a no brainer for us to stock them. We have other frames made from plant-based materials, some are arriving soon made from recycled steel too. Importantly we don’t charge spurious fees to put frames in your old frame, if that is what you want – makes sense to re-use if it is still in good nick – glazing fees at other opticians are eye-watering to us.

Ethical also means sorting out problems in a way that does not make customers feel bad or blamed - things go wrong and you and we want it sorted.

We support local organisations who we think do good for the community too see a few here www.eyeyesheffield.co.uk/community.

There will always be more to do and your questions/suggestions are welcome – pop in.

Karl Hallam
Seeing at school - importance of eye tests for children

Why are annual children’s eye tests not part of the school holiday routine? If your child cannot see properly they will enjoy school less and not do as well in their studies. Six monthly dental checks are considered normal, but while you get two sets of teeth and even false ones your two eyes are irreplaceable. This neglect of eyecare is at odds with survey after survey that tell us that 90% of the public say sight is the sense they most fear losing. 1 in 5 children has an undetected problem with their vision.  50% of parents with children aged 8 or under have never taken their child for an eye test.
This lack of regular eye testing blind spot (apologies for the pun) is not restricted to families from poorer backgrounds either, but some are put off by the fear of the cost of glasses. Eye tests for under 16s and those under 18 in full time education are free on the NHS and if they need glasses they get a voucher towards the cost. Some opticians provide totally free pairs with options to spend a bit more for cooler frames.
The trouble with kids is that they don’t tend to moan if they are having a problem with their vision, they just get on with it. How are they to know that what they can see is normal or not? In other words children can have significant issues with their eyes that if not dealt with when they are young can impact on their whole life. 
I recently saw a 12 year old who will be unlikely to ever have good enough vision to drive, who if they had had glasses at the age of 4 to 5 would have been fine. This is because there is a critical period in the development of sight which is the first 6-9 years. If there is an underlying focussing error in an eye that is not corrected early in the critical period then that eye will never see properly even with spectacles. This is often called a “lazy eye” (correct term amblyopia), but that is a terrible term as the eye is far from being lazy it has just not been given a fair chance to develop.
At this point parents often suggest the “school eye test” will pick anything up. Unfortunately, not all schools fund a test, things do get missed as it is a rather crude assessment and if your child is off that day, they only come once. More importantly it is bit late too, children should get a test when they are 3 years old, earlier if a parent had problems when they were younger. 
The test is of course adapted for those who cannot read and is normally something that can be made fun, there is usually giggling and an experience the child and parent enjoys. In my consulting room I have a big sofa so other family members can be in the room and relax during the examination. Looking at pictures we take of the eyes is normally a highlight for everyone, but colour vision tests and 3D checks fascinate too.
If the eyes are not checked at age 3 it is vital to get them checked in the summer holidays before your child starts school. Don’t be the parent who gets pulled aside by the primary teacher and has an eye test suggested because your child is struggling with letter recognition or reluctant to read and write. Guilt is a familiar parental emotion, but the feeling that your child has been made to feel bad about their reading achievement when they were just struggling to see clearly is one you want to avoid.
As children progress through school they are a bit more likely to mention problems, but the transition to secondary is a key time. The class rooms get bigger and seeing what is on the board becomes more important. The big school challenge does not need making harder with sight difficulties.
As they get bigger and approach the age of 17 you need to consider whether they should head off for a driving lesson unless you are sure they are safe to drive your or a driving instructor’s vehicle.
This article has studiously avoided perhaps one of the biggest contemporary issues that parents worry about in reference to the eyes of their children – screens! There is a lot of research going on currently about the potential impact and it is an area the Sheffield Telegraph might want to look at one day. One thing we can safely say is that a screen-free break is needed before bedtime to ensure sleep is not interfered with.
So, book a test for all your children, whatever their age, more often than not glasses are not required. The days of the choice between pink and blue “NHS glasses” are long gone. Spectacles can be cool now, think Will-I am and Rhianna for starters. Contact lenses can also be an option for sporty Outdoor City Sheffield families.

Karl Hallam
"Cheaper than we expected" - Frame only £80 or £140

We love it when people come in because another customer has recommended us. Thanks to everyone who has done so - we're proud of our reviews.

We, like any other business, have to think about attracting people through our door and having events like our #enjoytheview poetry event with Helen Mort is part of that - as well as the fact we like putting on enjoyable happenings.

Some people come in and express surprise that we are "cheaper than expected". It is sort of a backhanded compliment - good that we look look classy, bad that that might mean our prices are exclusive.

We don't advertise on price, but do advertise our transparent/all-inclusive prices - knowing the price at the start, not the end is a USP we are proud of.

However, perhaps we should be a bit more upfront about actual figures - so here goes.

We have just 2 "frame only" prices; 1. £75 - core #nologo range; 2. £125 - craft #independent range.

If you want to see all prices then go here - note includes eye test, frame, lenses and finishes - https://www.eyeyesheffield.co.uk/pricing/ - that info is on the wall when you walk in the door - in writing that if you struggle to read you might need new specs!

Karl Hallam