About Us
The Practice
We opened on the 22nd July 1985 on Thomas street with myself and 1 receptionist which was soon increased to 2 as we got busy. We were the 1st practice in the town to open late on a Thursday evening which became popular very quickly. After a few years the practice under went a refit, a process which I have tried to make ongoing with continual improvements, because we felt that our patients deserved to have a good choice of products and services in a relaxed and comfortable environment. This includes the provision of an onsite glazing laboratory so that we could make many of the spectacles onsite and much more quickly than before. We can now offer a 1 hour service on many pairs of glasses.
Due to redevelopment of Thomas street we moved around the corner to William street 3 years ago, into purpose built fully air-conditioned premises. There are now four members of staff working full time and two part time.
We have an ongoing training program for all the staff and Julie, the practice manager is studying to be a Dispensing Optician. Ivana and Wendy, our Optical Assistants, attend regular training courses and have frequently returned with ideas that have significantly improved the running of the practice.
I am very proud of the staff that are with the practice now and with them being here for a number of years we are well settled and work well together.
We have always strived to deliver quality of both service and spectacles and if I had to say what the ethos of the practice was, it would be that we aim to treat all our patients as we would like to be treated ourselves or as we would treat our own family members. As the practice has been established over 20 years we have a lot of patients that we have known for 15 years or more and they feel more like friends than patients for which I am hugely grateful.
I hope to always remember that it is a privilege to be able to treat my patients and that they have other choices as to where they receive their eye care and I am proud that they decide to come to our practice and I will do everything in my power to ensure that their visit is a happy and satisfactory one each and every time.
Our Team
- James P. Fitzsimons MCOptom Bsc (Hons)
- Julie Vaughan Practice Manager
- Ivana Fairbairn Optical Assistant
- Wendy Goodall Optical Assistant
Staff Training
Topics covered on staff training days consist of:
- How the eye works
- What happens during a thorough eye examination
- Explanation of short-sightedness and long-sightedness
- Prescriptions and Measurements
- Frame styles and shapes to suit certain face shapes and colour tones
- Identifying the features and benefits of frames and lenses
- Optical terminology and jargon