Leightons And Tempany Opticians & Hearing Care

UK Fashion Practice of the year 2014 & Contact Lens Practitioner of the year 2010 & 2014. Award winning Eye care and Eyewear

Leightons Opticians and Hearing Care in Poole have merged with award-winning Tempanys Boutique Opticians and Contact Lens Specialists to provide a store with unrivalled expertise in the centre of Poole.

Keith Tempany will join forces with Leightons and bring his expert contact lens knowledge to Poole and the wider group. The merged practice will be re-branded Leightons and Tempany Opticians & Hearing Care.

The move comes about following a number of joint venture partnerships that Leightons have initiated with independent practices within its estate of 34 stores in the South of England.

Both Ryan Leighton and Keith Tempany see an exciting future by combining their expertise, business acumen, style and ambition.

Tempanys Opticians previously won several industry awards, including Contact Lens Practitioner of the Year in 2014 and 2010, and was shortlisted for the same award in 2009 and 2012 by Optician Magazine. This expertise in contact lenses will be used to enhance and expand Leightons current contact lens business and Keith also hopes to introduce new centres of excellence providing specialist lenses such as Orthokeratology.

Ryan Leighton, CEO of Leightons Opticians and Hearing Care, which employs 227 people, said: “We’re privileged and delighted to welcome Keith into our business, as he brings a great deal of specialist contact lens experience to Leightons. We’ll be working closely with Keith and our team in Poole to position the practice as a centre of excellence combining specialist optical, contact lens and audiology services.

“It’s part of our ongoing strategy to partner up with best-in-market independent practitioners, finding mutually beneficial ways to strengthen the business, invest and innovate in the future. So we take care of the business administration and marketing freeing Keith’s time to work with the team and focus enhancing the contact lens experience and dispensing experience. ”

The Leightons & Tempany practice in Poole will under-go an extensive refurbishment in 2016, and Keith’s role will evolve with him dividing his time between the practice and Leightons head office in Farnham, Surrey.

Keith said he is extremely excited about the merger, adding: “My aim with the partnership is to grow the contact lens segment within the Leightons group by diversifying what we currently offer and, with our experience in specialist lenses, to inspire the group to look at contact lenses as a life changing opportunity for everyone, regardless of age or prescription.

“The Practice in Poole will be the go-to Opticians in Dorset for people who not only take their eye-care seriously, but also see their eyewear as a serious fashion statement as the boutique stock is unique to us in this area”, explained Keith, who is currently president elect of the British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) and has been involved as a Key Opinion Leader and advisor for many contact lens manufacturers.

Keith’s career in optics spans over 30 years and started in1982 when he opened his first practice after managing several optical practices in Devon. In 2002 he opened the KTO clinic in Poole, which initially was a contact lens and dry-eye only practice, that later moved to their current location.

In 2010 Keith decided to create a new style of opticians and tapped into a niche market providing high-end and unique style frames. In 2014 the business was awarded Fashion Practice of the Year by Optician Magazine, which was unsurprising to many as the practice is one of just six in the UK to stock Robert Marc designer frames, as well as iconic brand, Oliver Goldsmith, the frame of choice for celebrities like, Lady Gaga, Robbie Williams, Kate Beckinsale, Cheryl Fernandez Versini and supermodel Kate Moss. Keith has gained a reputation as a leader in fashion frames that have been showcased in fashion shows and he was also flown out for Paris Fashion Week to act as contact lens consultant.

On a more clinical note, Keith was awarded the Fellowship of the British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) in 2008 in recognition of his knowledge and understanding of contact lenses and the anterior eye. Then in 2009 he was elected to the council of the BCLA and has carried out several workshops on behalf of the Association helping to improve contact lens fitting service within practices nationwide.
"We are very proactive in promoting a Visual Wardrobe for our patients with many visual correction options including office specs, sports goggles and contact lenses, our oldest person this year to try contact lenses for the first time was 70 and the youngest just 6"

Keith is a local lad having grown up around Broadstone and his first managerial position was at Melson Wingates on the Broadway, where County Florists are now. As well as working in his own practice he now lectures and presents workshops on Contact Lenses to fellow professionals around the UK and is a council member and President Elect of the British Contact Lens Association and has appeared on the Jeremy Vine show giving expert opinion on contact lenses. The practice also takes part in contact lens based Research Studies so any one wanting to be considered for this should contact the practice.