Yorkshire optician invests £20k in store to accommodate pandemic demand

Scarborough Specsavers has invested £20k into the store, to provide higher-grade optical technology for customers and to accommodate for post-lockdown demand.

Earlier in the year, the store invested in new 3D scanning OCT machine, to help support the community’s eye health and allow the optometrists to undertake Specsavers’ most advanced eye test for customers.

A few months on, and the store’s optometrists have revealed the machine has since helped to detect retinal detachments, macular holes, macular degeneration, post cataract complications and many other serious eye conditions among the town’s residents.

The investment has also created jobs in the town, including a pre-registration optometrist and 9 optical assistant positions.

The investment has seen new short form test equipment installed and will enable the team to increase the capacity to test more patients.

Store director, James Ellson, said: “An OCT scan helps us to view the health of people’s eyes in greater detail than ever before, by allowing us to see what’s going on beneath the surface.

“With OCT, we can spot many underlying, sight-threatening eye diseases, sometimes up to four years earlier than traditional techniques, and we can spot signs of other diseases which affect the optic nerve and retina, like blood pressure problems and brain tumours too.

“It also helps relieve pressure on the NHS because it reduces the number of referrals we need to make.”

James continues: “We decided to revamp our test room to help increase capacity and allow us to hold extra clinics.

“We’re really pleased the Scarborough community can take advantage of this enhanced care. The team have loved it using it and the feedback from customers so far has been brilliant.”