Posts from January 2012

A FORMBY optician has set out to Ghana to help villagers in need of eye care.

Alice Joyce, from Conlons Opticians, will set up a new glazing workshop and visit a number of villages on behalf of charity Eye Aid for Africa in her two week trip.

Conlons has donated two complete sets of glazing equipment and ZEISS has donated 2,000 lenses to be used for glasses for people in the central region of Ghana.

The Optometrist' in the Conlons glossary" href="/glossary/Optometrist">optometrist - along with colleagues from other north west branches - will spend her first week setting up the new glazing workshop.

The team will then spend their second week helping to perform more than 700 eye tests as well as helping to produce and distribute more than 1,500 pairs of glasses to people Near' in the Conlons glossary" href="/glossary/Near">near Kumasi in central Ghana.

They will see a number of patients ranging from young children who have never had an eye test before to adults - such as crane and taxi drivers - who rely on their sight for their livelihoods.

Eye Aid for Africa is a specialist charity set up by Alice and her husband, Patrick.

The charity works to make a difference to eye care in some of the poorer areas of Ghana.

For the past 10 years, with the voluntary support of British medicial and eye care professionals, the couple have performed numerous cotaract operations and dispensed thousands of secondhand spectacles in the south of Ghana Near' in the Conlons glossary" href="/glossary/Near">near the capital city, Accra.

Before setting out on the trip, Alice said: "We are delighted to have the support of Zeiss this year with their most generous donation of lenses.

"In Africa, access to optical services, as well as cost, prohibits many from being able to see clearly, if at all.

"The team and I are looking forward to being able to help people on this trip."

FORMBY-BASED Conlons Opticians has teamed up with primary schools to help teach youngsters how to look after their eyes.

The scheme involves optical advisers visiting primary schools to talk to children about how eye works, both in humans and animals and how important it is to look after them. They get quizzed on all things to do with eyes, as well as entering a colouring competition to win some designer sunglasses.

Formby branch manager Nicole Bentham commented: "Young children are taught many things at school, from internet safety to how to brush their teeth, but many don't know how important it is to look after their eyes and to have regular eye tests.

"If a child has trouble with their eyesight and it is not picked up quickly, it can have a real effect on their progress at school."

The children from Year 3 at Formby's St Jerome's Catholic Primary School entered their drawings and Ciaran Lunch, 7, was a winner. He received a pair of designer sunglasses.

A MEMBER of staff from a Leigh opticians has received a 'Long Service Award' for her time and dedication to the company.

Marilyn Amos was presented with the award at the company's annual awards ceremony, held at the Pott Shrigley Hotel in Cheshire, by the Chairman Mr Mike Barton.

He said: "Marilyn has proved that her positive attitude and tight controls are a winning formula for success.

"Over the last 15 years Marilyn has consistently provided a top level of service to the company.

"And we'd like to thank her for her loyalty, hard work and dedication."

Conlons Opticians was founded in 1882 in Liverpool by Bernard Conlon who opened his first practice in Liverpool. Today Conlons has a total of 17 branches, five generations having been dedicated to delivering top Quality eye care' in the Conlons glossary" href="/glossary/Quality eye care">quality eye care with a passion for customer service.

A BARROW optician is set to travel to Africa with a team of eye experts to help tackle blindness.

Ian Hechle from Conlons Opticians in Dalton Road will travel to Ghana this month on behalf of the Eye Aid for Africa charity to launch a new glazing workshop and visit a host of villages to offer help to those in need of eyecare.

Conlons donated two complete sets of glazing equipment and manufacturer Zeiss has donated 2,000 lenses to be used for the glasses.

During the two-week trip, Mr Hechle will be joined by Conlons optometrists Alice Joyce from the Formby branch and Karen McGowan from the Liverpool branch.

The taskforce of eye experts will perform more than 700 eye tests as well as helping to produce and distribute more than 1,500 pairs of glasses to people Near' in the Conlons glossary" href="/glossary/Near">near Kumasi in central Ghana.

They will also be accompanied by Optometrist' in the Conlons glossary" href="/glossary/Optometrist">optometrist Barry Partridge and his wife Patti, who dispenses spectacles, and eye surgeon Patrick Joyce.

The team will see countless patients ranging from young children, who have never had an eye test before, who will be given the gift of better sight, to adults such as crane and taxi drivers, who rely on their sight for their livelihoods, who will have their Vision' in the Conlons glossary" href="/glossary/Vision ">vision corrected with glasses or cataract surgery if required.

Mr Hechle, who visited the African country in 2010 for the same charity, said: "We are delighted to have the support of Zeiss this year with their most generous donation of lenses.

"In Africa, access to optical services, as well as cost, prohibits many from being able to see clearly, if at all and the team and I are looking forward to being able to help people on this trip."

Eye Aid for Africa is a specialist charity set up by Mrs Joyce and her husband, Patrick who, for the last 10 years, with the voluntary support of British medical and eyecare professionals have performed numerous cataract operations and dispensed thousands of secondhand spectacles in the south of Ghana Near' in the Conlons glossary" href="/glossary/Near">near the capital city, Accra.

About 2.6 million people in West Africa are blind, but about three quarters could have their sight saved with the right medical help.

Andrew Hinslewood, national sales manager at Zeiss, said: "The need for eye care spreads across all generations. Children simply cannot learn if they can't see the blackboard and we are delighted to have been able to help with this most important compaign."