This year the senior optometrist here at the Internet Glasses Company celebrates thirty years in optics (Cue suitably obsequious comments – gosh you must have qualified as a child, you don’t look anywhere near old enough etc etc!) So we thought we’d give him the chance to take a misty eyed wander down memory lane, and tell us about how times have changed since he invited his first patient to look into his eyes…….
“When I started out Optics was a whole different ball game (or eyeball game!) to how it is today. I’m glad to say that most of the changes are for the better, from the client’s point of view. Back then, there was little choice of frames, and they were regarded as a medical aid rather than the exciting fashion item that they are today. The NHS supplied most of our clients, subsidising the cost for everyone, regardless of their income. This meant cheap specs for all, but much psychological scarring from the stigma of the dreaded NHS frame! Lenses were mostly glass, so were heavy, and possibly dangerous to wear. There were few options for the very short or long sighted, today most of our lenses are lightweight, ultra safe plastic, available in thin materials to reduce weight and thickness, and with coatings and tints to improve sight and comfort.
Contact lenses were often still hard, meaning fewer patients could wear them. Soft lenses were expensive with complicated cleaning regimes. Today they are virtually all soft, with simple care systems and options such as extended wear of wear-for-a-day and throw away! Patients can also opt for laser surgery, allowing them to do away with specs or lenses forever.
The internet has widened consumer choice even further, and today you can buy well made, high quality specs online, supplied by practitioners such as myself who are fully qualified. We’re happy to open up more avenues to clients to allow them to buy glasses with minimal fuss and expense. I can’t wait to see what the next thirty years will bring!”