lend a hand

By Melanie Palmer

Dan Sanders

erspective Opticians is a thriving, professional independent business nestled into Drury Lane, Solihull. The practice is celebrating its 18th birthday this year and has a busy bustling environment, looking after clients old and new. So what is the secret behind their success? I took time out to interview the owner optometrist Dan Sanders.

Dan explained firstly that it’s certainly not been easy since COVID, people have taken their time to return. “They had almost forgotten how to shop,” said Dan. “The added constraints of the cost of living crisis has also had an impact but we have such a loyal client base that we are now seeing things getting back to normal.”

It’s clear to see the experience that Perspective and their knowledgeable (and super friendly!) team offer, it means that after your first visit you will never go anywhere else. It has the feeling of quality as soon as you cross the threshold, the range of frames are stunning, with many brands only granted to opticians deemed worthy of their status. There is absolutely no compromise on the product.

I asked Dan what else stood them apart from others? “Our eye tests take on average an hour per client (High Street opticians on average give a 20-minute appointment), and we are unrestricted in the amount of care we give. My wife Sam is a fellow optometrist, who also has over 20 years’ experience, so between us and our additional two optometrists who also work in hospitals, there is very little we haven’t seen and dealt with before. We invested in OCT scanners over 10 years ago, so we all have the knowledge and experience in this area to assess our clients, and recognise any problems early that require treatment. Many High Street practices have only just started using this equipment.

“Time is the biggest difference we offer; nothing is rushed throughout the whole journey during your visit to us.”

We discussed the health aspect to the eye test too, and Dan told me about a client case recently. He had found indicators of a potential brain tumour during the test and thankfully once investigated and confirmed, it was caught early enough to save the customer’s life. “Things like this are rare,” Dan reiterates, “but the eyes give such an insight into your general health. Things such as Glaucoma, Diabetes, and High Blood Pressure are just a few of the conditions we can spot.”

Finally, we chatted about the client base he has grown at the Solihull practice. They have clients who have been with them for 10 to 15 years, even those that move out of the area make the trip back for their test and new glasses. Clients travel from Cornwall, France and even Dubai!

Give them a visit, you won’t look back.

Our motto is ‘making life look better’. I am confident that my team will translate your prescription into the most perfect eyewear, something that you will enjoy wearing with confidence and pride.