Our reflections of 2022

New designer glasses for women and men

We’re always on the lookout for new frames that we think people will love and go out of our way to personally source and handpick exceptional brands that are exclusive to our opticians in Cobham, and 2022 was no different, with the introduction of both Linda Farrow and AHLEM eyewear collections in practice.

Linda Farrow

We’re excited to be the only opticians in Surrey to stock the glamorous Linda Farrow designer frames for women! Back in the 1970s, Farrow was at the forefront of eyewear design, bringing in bold new shapes that changed the stereotype of glasses being boring into making them luxurious fashion statements.

Farrow’s son, Simon Jablon, resurrected the brand in the 2000s and has since collaborated with world-renowned designers to create avant-garde, elegant frames that stand out from the crowd, crafted from the finest Japanese titanium and Italian acetate, along with luxury elements like 18-carat gold plating, and hand finished to perfection.

AHLEM

AHLEM is a young brand, launched in 2014, and is committed to arts-informed design and stellar craftsmanship. They are also committed to only using sustainable materials to create their frames.

The brand’s overall aesthetic references the Bauhaus design movement, creating timeless frames of exceptionally high quality, that are handled by three specialised ateliers and nine skilled artisans, each with a particular craft passed down through generations.

Expect hand painted metal temple tips featuring bold accents of navy blue, burgundy and green in their signature triangular and circular shapes, as well as hand sourced and carved vintage acetate temple tips featuring their logo; laser engravings on select nose pads, rims and temples, and select metal frames that are hammered by hand using a complex goldsmith technique from the Middle Ages and airbrushed for a flawless matte finish.

We’re proud to be the only opticians in Cobham to stock AHLEM eyewear and we’re thrilled to have even sold a pair of these to our lovely patient Diana before we even put them on display in practice!

Myopia control children’s glasses

If your child is short-sighted, another name for myopia, which occurs when the eye becomes elongated and light can’t focus on the retina at the back of the eye, it means they will need to wear glasses for distance vision. Their prescriptions can get stronger over time and affect their eye health as adults, potentially contributing to the development of serious conditions like glaucoma or retinal detachments.

Essilor Stellest glasses lenses not only correct your child’s myopia but are also clinically proven to slow the progression of myopia by 67% on average. Over 30 years of research and design have gone into developing their specialist lens technology called H.A.L.T. (highly aspherical lenslet target).

This consists of concentric rings containing 1021 invisible lenslets, that create a signal in the child's eye to shield them against eye elongation. These lenses are fitted into children’s frames and worn like normal glasses, meaning less adaptation is needed than contact lenses.

We are proud that our principal optometrist Sachin became accredited to prescribe Essilor Stellest spectacle lenses last year, adding to our existing MiSight myopia control contact lenses for children.

Welcoming our new optical assistant

2022 was a difficult year for recruiting, but we were lucky enough to find John, our new optical assistant. He’s fitted in with the team perfectly and is a very welcome addition to our practice, already a favourite with our patients, and is visibly passionate about delivering exceptional customer service, The Optical Co way. Fingers crossed we’ll be able to find one or two more optical experts to join our team in 2023!

Looking ahead to 2023

So, what’s in store for the year ahead? As always, we remain on the lookout for new and exclusive luxury brands that sets our opticians in Cobham apart from other practices, so we can continue to offer you something extra special.

We are also planning to launch an exciting new service to enhance your tailored customer experience with us, watch this space so you can be one of the first to hear about it!

Thank you!

As we begin the new year, we’d like to say a big thank you to you, our valued patients, for your loyalty, custom and support – we couldn’t have achieved any of our milestones last year without you and are forever grateful. We look forward to seeing you for an even more exciting 2023!