Richard Fantom Eyecare Ltd

We are thrilled to have our new banner, installed yesterday. The banners on many businesses and some private houses along the High Street brighten up the centre of the village and remind us of the link to the village's Saxon past. This is the second year of the banners and I think the group have excelled themselves with very topical pictures. Our banner is intended to make one think of spectacles through the ages. What do you think?

Some colleagues on a forum I subscribe to were discussing a case of a 23 year old with loss of vision. One person suggested that it could be Poppers Maculopathy. I wasn't aware of the condition so did web searches. There are plenty of academic articles too but this article from the Fight For Sight organisation seemed well written and worth sharing here.
https://www.fightforsight.org.uk/…/…/ poppers-and-eye-health/
There’s a lot of confusion about poppers at the moment. If tha...
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During May and June enjoy a free upgrade to Rodenstock Colormatic on selected lenses. Colormatic lenses are available in Chocolate Brown, Racing Green and Pure Grey. The tint automatically darkens or lightens according to light conditions and filers all ultra-violet light.

One of the sweetest gifts I've ever received. A pair of hand-crocheted Easter bunnies for my girls, complete with a Lindt chocolate egg inside. Thank you ever so much Mrs H.
Happy Easter everyone.

We are delighted that from this morning we will be stocking Mulberry frames and sunglasses. The spectacles bring the classic values of the brand with style but never any ostentation. The styles are generally fine and petite with easy to wear colour. We think they will be a great success.

Mulberry Eyewear, coming soon to Richard Fantom Eyecare Ltd

Tomorrow, Sunday 14 April, marks the fifth anniversary of our opening. I'm delighted that we are still here after the difficult last 6-8 months but I've worked my full hours this week and feel strong and positive for the future. We're seeing lots of new patients, many through recommendations and I'm always pleased to have more. We're continuing to develop our range of frames and are enjoying bringing the latest spectacle lenses and contact lenses to you too. We have gained so...me new colleagues in the last months, that's Lisa on reception, Tanzeela Ghumra our Dispensing Optician and Shaista Omar our part-time Optometrist. And I still have some more great developments to bring in to enhance your experience of the practice during this year. So a big thank you to my lovely patients and customers. I can't wait to see what we're doing in a further five years.
And congratulations to the Village Cafe which is opening today, next door to the practice. We all wish you good luck. You can be sure that we'll be in to buy cakes very soon.
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I just heard an unusual song on Gideon Coe's radio show (Six Music of course). It's by the Popticians and contains some useful advice. Want to hear? Mercifully it is less than 3 minutes long. https://youtu.be/IQxJ6ELCLwA
Most importantly, always make sure you know where your spare pair of spectacles is.

This weekend has been Optrafair, the biggest UK trade fair for the optics industry. I'm attending today and hope to meet friends and colleagues. I'm also intending to continue my plans to move the practice forward into an ever stronger future to look after your eyes.

Today had been World Book Day. Many schools mark the event by letting the children (and teachers) dress up as characters from their favourite books. Books bring such great enjoyment so make sure you and your children can read well by ensuring you look after those eyes. Here are my two girls dressed up. We have Hermione (from Harry Potter) and a very fierce Richard Parker (from Life Of Pi).

As 2019 progresses Richard Fantom Eyecare is pleased to be bringing several exciting new brands to you. The first of these is Police and we now have spectacle frames and sunglasses ready to buy. The Italian brand has led with uncompromising style since the '80s and is aimed at today's rebels who want to make a mark on the world with distinctive, daring, urban style. One of the most hotly anticipated movies for 2019 is the latest Men In Black saga. The sunglasses in the film are an essential and recognisable prop for the main characters. (We'll be trying to keep them in stock but I think they will sell fast.)
https://youtu.be/rqk8iEmFECg

I'm delighted to announce that I am back! In fact I have done clinics over the last 2 weeks and am still only reintroducing myself to clinical work gradually, initially with some half days. I am very grateful to my locums for looking after my patients during the last 6 months, to my staff for their patience and to my lovely patients for keeping with me. The experience has taught me that I can and must delegate more and when I do it well it works perfectly. So I look forward to welcoming you when you next are ready to come in and I am looking forward to a year of progress and changes to make Richard Fantom Eyecare ever better.

Did you hear the one about the Alpaca that walked into a French Optician's? Well it sounds like it should have a punchline but it is a true occurrence. Read about it below. I would like to think that our fabulous Dispensing Optician Tanzeela would know just what to do and what frame to choose this lovely creature should the same thing happen at Richard Fantom Eyecare. And I also know that reception would make the "customer" welcome.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-4 6933720…

If you are a contact lens wearer it may have caught your attention that a contact lens recycling scheme has started. It involves Boots Opticians but also independent practices like us. I have signed up today and will become a collection centre. Soft contact lenses are made of polymers - a form of very flexible plastic. Many people flush their used contact lenses down the toilet or sink. This is very much to be discouraged as some of the material can end up in the sea. The "bl...ister packs" including plastic and foil, as well as the contact lens itself, can be collected and can be eventually be recycled into something useful such as furniture. So please keep your contact lens packaging and used contact lenses and when convenient drop them in to us. We are happy to receive them whether we supplied the lenses or not and even if the wearer is not our patient. What's more if we collect enough waste to be useful the recycling company TerraCycle will make a donation to my chosen charity: Bloodwise. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-46876427
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I'm sitting in the ward at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, hopefully for the last time, awaiting discharge after my final chemotherapy. Although I will be back for various check-ups it is of course a very exciting feeling to know that my treatment has finished and the recovery starts now. I'm not sure how long that recovery will take but it is important that I let it take its course. I hope to have more to say over the next few weeks but in the meantime I want to say a big thank you to my clients and my staff for their patience and support through the last 5 months. (It's seemed longer to me!) My job really is such an important part of who I am and I'm very grateful to look after your eyecare needs. I will return determined to do an ever better job of that task long into the future.

Wishing a very Merry Christmas to all our lovely patients, staff and suppliers, not forgetting the couriers, postmen.

Yesterday was Jane's last scheduled day before retirement. She has been with Richard Fantom Eyecare since we opened in April 2014. We've been grateful for Jane's structured and organised approach as well as her friendly and helpful service. Thank you Jane. Jane will be coming in to help with holiday cover on the future so don't be too surprised if you see her again.

With Christmas fast approaching it's time to announce our Christmas Opening Hours. It's going to be a quiet Christmas at Richard Fantom Eyecare,
Tuesday 18 December 09:00 - 17:30 Wednesday 19 December 09:00 - 17:30... Thursday 20 December 09:00 - 17:30 Friday 21 December 09:00 - 17:30 Saturday 22 December 09:00 - 17:30
Monday 24 December - Christmas Eve - closed Tuesday 25 December - Christmas Day - closed Wednesday 26 December - Boxing Day - closed Thursday 27 December 09:00 - 17:30 Friday 28 December 09:00 - 17:30 Saturday 29 December - closed
Monday 31 December - New Year's Eve - closed Tuesday 1 January - New Year's Day - closed Wednesday 2 January 09:00 - 17:30 then business as usual ...
And hopefully before too long I shall be healthy and back in the practice myself.
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