DOLLOND AND AITCHISON

Since I was in primary school I have been wearing glasses. I’ve always tended to be long sighted, though gradually over the years with age and various other things my eye sight is just getting worse full stop. Anyway, as a kid my parents used to take me to the ONLY opticians in our town, Dollond and Aitchison. A woman optician was my eye tester for many years until ill health forced her to retire.

Dollond and Aitchinson have come a long way since my childhood days, and are now a common sight in most towns and cities. But with the arrival of stores like Specsavers and Vision Express they have had a fight on their hands to keep customers.

My loyalty has always been with D&A until recently when I realised that glasses could be purchased cheaper elsewhere. And being a diabetic who seems to need to change their glasses every year (yearly eye tests are the norm for diabetics) it made sense to shop around.

However, for those who know my home town of Haverhill, you will be aware that we have been limited on eye test places with just three in tow, one being more exclusive than D&A and the other offering cheaper glasses, so guess which one I opted for in my first ever experience away from D&A? Right the cheap place, a small outfit called Billson’s.

Any diabetic will tell you the importance of regular eye tests, and furthermore the importance of GOOD eye tests. But of course everyone needs to keep their eyes in order, as good vision is something we all take for granted until it’s fading or gone. It is recommended that ‘non-diabetic’ people have their eyes tested every two years, while diabetic people (and those with certain other conditions) are tested yearly or more.

My eye test at D&A was free of charge (due to my diabetes), and it was also free at Billson’s, though I have been told that being diabetic doesn’t automatically entitle you to free eye tests so check it out. My eye test at D&A has always been professional and thorough, with the usual ‘read the letters’ type and then some further ones also. This includes sticking your head in a bowl and pressing a button when you see a light known I believe as a ‘field test’. This measures the range of vision from the sides of your eyes in normal view.

With my first experience out of D&A I never got this test or any other test other than the offer to dilate my pupils and look at the back of my eyes. Indeed my ‘other test’ was the very basic in a small room with the door wide open, by a woman who seemed to be slightly over powering.

Back at D&A my head is now in a frame and the optician is puffing air into them to test for glaucoma (so I believe). The optician can also look at the back of the eye, and indeed picked up on the fact my wife’s blood pressure wasn’t quite right (how do they do that?) So as for eye test without a doubt D&A have provided the best, that said we have recently had Specsavers opened in our town and I will try them for value and eye test.

Generally speaking you will enter into a small room with a chair sat in the middle which you sit in. The optician usually then asks a few questions before commencing the test. When he/she starts the test they will switch the lights off, and plonk some strange glasses on your face that would make Joe Ninety envious. These are important as the optician can insert lenses into the frame and find out your need for any prescriptions.

You will be asked to read a series of letters from a board a distance away, starting with large letter gradually getting smaller to the almost impossible to see ones at the bottom. You will also get a colour test to check for colour blindness. In addition the optician may look into your eyes with a small torch type tool. The entire test is painless and the whole thing takes around 20 minutes or so.

If you need glasses you will be handed over to someone who deals with that aspect of the shop. They can offer advice and once you’ve chosen some glasses you like they can even get your face on screen with the different glasses of your choice, so you can see how you look. I’ve had this done and it is amazing how it changes your view from a plain mirror, so if they don’t offer this service ask, it’s free and part of their job.

Of course the worse part of the whole thing is paying for it, and you can expect to pay around £10-£20 for the test and anything up to around £200 or so for the glasses, though obviously many pairs are far cheaper. I like the thoroughness of the eye test, compared to other one I had, it was way better. I like the choice of glasses available, though I am not struck on the prices. I like the way they can let you see (on screen) exactly what other people see when they look at you with your new glasses.

I like the customer service, it's generally very good. And each pair is repaired within a year free of charge (and sometimes beyond for minor repairs) without questions. I like the fact that appointments are generally easy to make at a convenient time. While waiting you can grab a free coffee from the machine if you wish.

The store itself is too bright and modern for my liking, it has laminated flooring and looks minimalist, which may be okay in homes but in a store is simply too much. I also don’t like the way they price their glasses. When you see a price you expect to pay that price, but at D&A it’s not so.

The price you see is for the frame, you then need to add the price of the lens and any coating they may sell you. A straight forward pricing way is the way forward; a case of the price you see is the price you pay. Sometimes staff tend to ignore people who are waiting while they are dealing with another person. Why not just say, “I’ll be with you in a minute,” it saves feelings and business.

As I have only experienced two opticians in my life, I have limited experience of choice. But based on the experience I have had, I would definitely recommend D&A. They provide an excellent service, with some good guarantees. My new vari-focals were issued with the guarantee that if I didn’t like them within a certain amount of time, I could bring them back for a refund or exchange.

Luckily I had no need to return them. Prices may be more expensive than other low cost opticians, but the service is excellent. However, that said I do intend to use Specsavers for my next eye test to see whether they are cheaper and offer the same quality service as D&A. And remember, if you have a Tesco club card remember to collect your points each time you part with money at your local D&A. Dave Dabmim

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