The three little pigs……

There were once three little pigs that were rather flushed with success from defeating the “BIG BAD WOLF”. To celebrate they all decided to go to the new famous restaurant in town “Wolf it down” and enjoy a sumptuous feast.

They were quickly seated when the waiter asked to take their order….the first little pig asked for “roast beef and all the trimmings” the second asked for “a salad to start followed by a rump steak, chips and black pepper sauce.” The third little pig just asked for a “glass of water followed by a pint of water.” The waiter looking somewhat bemused did as he was asked.

 After the meal was served the waiter asked if they wanted to have something from the sweet trolley, “yes please” the first and second little pigs said. The third little pig just asked for “a simple pint of water.” The waiter again looking very confused did as he was asked.

 Later the waiter again asked if they would all like some cheese and biscuits, the first two little pigs agreed that would be nice but the third just asked again for a glass of water. Finely out frustration the waiter pointed out that the first two little pigs had enjoyed a sumptuous feast and all the third little pig has had is three glasses of water! Well said the third little pig, “someone has to go wee, wee, wee all the way home!”

Sometimes the early signs of diabetes are drinking more fluids and passing water more often. Did you know that you don’t have wait before people to notice the outward signs? By having a regular eye examination from your optician, diseases and different eye conditions such as; Glaucoma, Diabetes, heart problems, high blood pressure and high cholesterol can all be detected at a very early stage. Don’t wait till other people notice the problems before you do.

So todays thought is this, when was your or your family’s health last checked by having a full eye examination?

Kind regards,

Alan Bruce

Dennies spectacle makers and Opticians.

Help My arms are not long enough!

It's funny but amazing the way our bodies change over the years, Our greatest senses develope over time as our brain learns to see and hear.

Today we are on the quest to find a suitable frame for an 13 month old baby / todler who is in desperate need of good glasses, unfortunately the child was born with a few learning difficulties which have been made worse by the fact their eyes have not developed properly and the brain has not learn't to see.

It makes me think how lucky I am to have had such perfect vision throughout my formative years and beyond. Unfortunately for me now having reached the 40's stage of my life and am now in need of longer arms! Anyone who now wears glasses for reading knows what I mean, you get to a certain point in your life which is around the "BIG 40" when trying to read means putting the book further away from you, this continues untill your arms just aren't long enough any more.

So here's my problem; Do I (a) Just not bother with reading glasses, (b) Make myself a pair of old fashioned 1/2 eye frames to look over the top for distance or at my patients, (c) wear Bifocals with a line in the middle or (c) try Varifocals?

The answer is I believe to go for Varifocals, why?

As I need to read patient record cards and look at my laptop whilst talking to the patient, only the varifocal will do all that and more.
Bifocals were a brilliant invention by Benjamin Franklin ( the American president) but they no longer meet all the needs of the modern person and lifestyle. Sure they may take a little while to get used to them but the gains in vision are much better.

So my thoughts today are with the child I can help see better and perhaps in a small way help them develope to become all they can be, and not on the fact my arms just aren't long enough anymore.

kind regards,
Alan.
DSM Opticians.
Silver End

What is today going to bring?

For us at Dennies spectacle makers, it's my longest day of the week. The day starts at 8am in the practice and will finish around 7pm in the practice.

This morning Myself and Kajal the Optometrist are off to see a lady who is house bound, with the latest computer based technology it doesn't matter how far away from the test chart the patient sits the screen is able to be adjusted to that focal length.

Obviously I cannot tell you anything about the patient, however this part of my job is the best part seeing people in their own homes knowing we can improve the quality of their lives.

After yesterdays home visit with the Audiologist to another patient, it realy brought it home to me that our hearing and sight are the two most important senses we have. I'm decrying the other senses of course but without sight and sound the world could be a lonley place. Take a moment to just close your eyes and put your fingers in your ears.

Today on my short walk to my practice eye closed my eyes as I walked along a straight path for about 20 yards. It was going o.k until I realised I was relying on my sense of hearing. (not a reccomended thing to do as you can look pretty silly)

I've found a rather amusing but brilliant short filmhttp://www.britishpathe.com/video/hearing-aid-museum/query/hearing+aids

An Excelent morning.

Well the sun is shinning the birds are singing and all is well today.

That describes my morning so far today. I had the great privelage to shadow the audiologist Roy Mickleburgh as he went to see one of my patients to give a hearing examination.

It truly was an amazing experience as the patient was currently using hearing aids supplied by the NHS which worked well enough. Once the test was complete Roy tried a new digital hearing aid on the patient whom was so imprest as he could hear even more than before. He started to notice even the smallest of sounds. The patient said "the new hearing device will not just improve his life but also that of his wife and friends who rarely even talk to him now or include him in conversation."

For me the sun was shinning and for him the birds were definately singing once more.
Thank you Roy for that insight into your world.

kindest of regards,
Alan

A new day.

Welcome to my second blog posting.

Today is another new day and there's a promise of some sunshine. As you may guess from the title "spectacles" I have an opticians practice in the village of Silver End, Essex. So most of what I am going to say starts with My day in the practice. (sorry)

The practice is situated in a fantastic Village nestled between two towns, Witham and Braintree. The Village is the brain child of a Mr Francis Crittal (the man who made metal window frames.) The village is based on the more familiar concept of Bournville, where all who work in the local factory which has now sadly disappeared lived in the village created for its workers.

I am a new comer to the village, having been here only 7 years and although many of the original features have changed, it still retains a certain charm for those who wish to immerse themselves in a bit of history and feel part of a real community.

The local school in the village have a fantastic team of teachers and educators preparing the little people to achieve all that they can be. The school boast its own swimming pool where all our children get two free swimming lessons each week in the summer terms.

My practice sits in a parade of shops known as the co-op shops (for obvious reasons I'm sure), in that parade of shops we have a Boots Chemist then my practice followed by our own village library and nestle behind us is the village hair dressers. These shops were once upon time a large 2 story department store offering goods of all sorts until the fateful and tragic fire that destroyed this amazing building.

Amazing buildings are something that Silver End does very well. opposite our shops stands what is now a large nursing home, in its day it was a large hotel were many people can boast that they had their wedding receptions and enjoyed many a pint in the bar. Today we do still have a building that still is used for its original purpose, the village hall. The village hall is the largest in England, some perhaps say  in Europe.

The shops and village hall all look out onto our amazing memorial gardens and children's park, with plenty of fields around us there's always space to just walk and enjoy peace and enjoy the majestic beauty that this green and sceptred Isle has to offer.

Well that's the spectacle I enjoy every day from my large practice windows.
kindest regards and enjoy your day.

Alan

                                                (The village pub)

My first ever blog

Hello to the big wide world.

Since this is my first post and first blog, I thought I would start with some fun. So here it is please check out my face book page http://www.facebook.com/pages/DSM-Opticians/261009283957300 this should be a great film from Pathe news for opticians and their spectacle frames in 1950.

or try http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.britishpathe.com%2Fvideo%2Fspectacles-2%2Fquery%2Fopticians&h=YAQELtwcZAQE2RF0glQs-f4iriKLKvjNixKvv4z8qeoZY4Q

If you like my facebook page please like on the first link, thank you.


How cool are those glasses?
could we get people to wear them styles again?

So thats it, not too much just a little something to start with.

kind regards
Alan