Brennan & Smith Optometrists

Brennan & Smith Optometrists Your locally owned & operated Optometrists. Providing our patients with the highest standard of care. Wheelchair accessible

Cooper and Smith Goondiwindi now also apart of the Brennan and Smith Regional Eyes Team

🌺 Anzac Day Long Weekend Trading Hours 🌺Our NSW practices will be closed over the Anzac Day long weekend.We will reopen ...
24/04/2026

🌺 Anzac Day Long Weekend Trading Hours 🌺

Our NSW practices will be closed over the Anzac Day long weekend.

We will reopen as normal on Tuesday 28th.

22/04/2026

What does it cost me to come and test your eyes?

⏳It’s time.
⛽️It’s fuel.
🚘It’s a lot of kilometres on the road each week.

It’s early starts, long drives, and more hours in the car than I probably care to admit 😅

But it also means something bigger than that.

It means we’re able to bring quality, thorough eye care directly to our regional communities — the same level of care you’d expect anywhere else.

It means you don’t have to travel hours just to have your eyes checked.
It means problems can be picked up earlier.
It means people feel looked after.

So yes… I do spend most of my time in the car 🚗

But it’s exactly where I need to be. 👁️✨

16/04/2026

THIS TOOK 10 SECONDS… ⏱️

But it’s about to tell me EVERYTHING about what my body is doing 👀📊

I’ve just applied the FreeStyle Libre 2 — a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) that tracks glucose levels in real time.

And here’s the cool part…
I’m filming this hands-free using my Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses 🤯

Tech is moving FAST.

No finger pricks.
No guessing.
Just live data, 24/7.

👉 For people living with diabetes, this is a game changer.
Better understanding = better control.

And that matters… because consistently high or fluctuating glucose levels can lead to complications like diabetic retinopathy — one of the leading causes of vision loss.

The scary part?
You often don’t notice it until damage has already occurred.

That’s why tools like this are so powerful —
They help you stay ahead, not catch up.

But here’s what’s really interesting…

👉 It’s not just for diabetes anymore.

More people are using CGMs to:
• See how different foods affect them 🍞🍫
• Understand energy highs and crashes ⚡️📉
• Learn how their body actually responds — not just what they think

Because two people can eat the same meal… and have completely different responses.

💡 This is personalised health in real time.

And whether you’re managing diabetes or just curious about your health —
Understanding your body is one of the most powerful things you can do.

👁️ And don’t forget…
Your eyes are often the first place we SEE changes from diabetes.

Regular eye tests aren’t optional — they’re essential.




11/04/2026

🚨 STOP thinking 20/20 = perfect vision 🚨

It simply means you can see what the average person should see at 20ft or 6m.

Each letter on the chart is designed so the detail inside it subtends 5 minutes of arc — basically the smallest detail your eye should be able to resolve.

But here’s the kicker 👇
We don’t just show ONE letter.

Because ONE letter is EASY.

Think of a Where’s Wally book…
Take the crowd away and suddenly Wally is VERY obvious 🔴⚪

Same with vision testing.
If we only showed one letter, we could MISS things like a lazy eye.

So we:
✔️ Use MULTIPLE letters
✔️ Space them evenly
✔️ Keep the gaps precise
✔️Get smaller at the same rate

All to make your brain actually WORK.

And yes… some letters are chosen to trick you 👀
(E vs F… we see you)

And no… unfortunately… certain combinations like F U C …didn’t make the final chart cut 😂

Because this isn’t just a reading test…
It’s a BRAIN test.

06/04/2026

FEELING A BIT… DUSTY? 🌪️
(And I’m not just talking about your Monday morning after the long weekend 👀)

If your eyes are dry, gritty, sore or straight-up ANGRY… here are my TOP 5 tips to fix it 👇

😎 1. WRAP SUNNIES = NON-NEGOTIABLE
Block the wind, dust + debris. Your eyes will thank you.

💧 2. DRINK A SH💩T LOAD OF WATER
Hydration isn’t just for your hangover… your eyes need it too.

👁️ 3. USE YOUR DROPS (PROPERLY)
Been out in the elements? Flush it out.
Think preservative-free (in order of my favourite)
💧Xailin Fresh
💧Hylofort
💧Systane Ultra

🚫 4. STEP AWAY FROM THE RUB
I know it feels good… but it makes things WORSE.
More irritation. More redness.
👉 Rinse with cool, clean water instead.

🌬️ 5. LIMIT THE EXTRA IRRITANTS
Air con, smoke, dust… it all adds up.
If your eyes are already struggling — give them a break.

Your eyes cop a LOT — wind, screens, dust, late nights… 🫠
But looking after them properly? That’s the difference between “a bit dry” and why do my eyes hate me.

👀 ONLY GET TWO — LOOK AFTER THEM

03/04/2026

No one talks about THIS part of perimenopause… 👀

You’re not going crazy… but your eyes might be 😅

✨ Mascara suddenly impossible to see.
✨ Arms not long enough anymore (who designed this?!).
✨ Every light in the house… still not enough.
✨ Glasses on your head… missing… again.
✨ And why do they feel SO dry and irritated all the time?

Here’s the thing —
Perimenopause and menopause doesn’t just mess with your hormones… it changes your eyes too.

The biggest one we see every day? Dry eye.
(Hormones + tear film = not a great combo.)

And then comes the classic…
“I think I need reading glasses.” 👓

The good news? You don’t just have to put up with it.

We help women through this stage every single day with:
✔️ Proper dry eye diagnosis and management.
✔️ IPL treatment (a game changer for dry eye).
✔️ Simple, practical solutions for reading and screen vision.

Because this stage of life is busy enough… your vision shouldn’t be another thing to fight with.

If this sounds like you, it’s worth getting checked 🤍

#40

LIFE IS BETTER WHEN YOU SEE TWO 👯‍♀️✨These twins are double trouble picking up their new Versace glasses 👌
02/04/2026

LIFE IS BETTER WHEN YOU SEE TWO 👯‍♀️✨

These twins are double trouble picking up their new Versace glasses 👌

We are taking a little Easter break 🐰We'll be closed from Good Friday and will reopen on Tuesday 7th.
02/04/2026

We are taking a little Easter break 🐰
We'll be closed from Good Friday and will reopen on Tuesday 7th.

30/03/2026

Don’t let rising costs compromise your sight…

Right now, many people are choosing to stay home more. Fuel is limited, prices are high, and understandably, we’re all trying to cut back where we can. But one thing we cannot afford to overlook is our health—especially our vision.

This image shows a condition that this patient didn’t even know they had. No pain. No warning. No obvious symptoms. And yet, it was there—progressing silently.

Eye disease doesn’t wait for a convenient time.
It doesn’t pause because fuel is expensive.
And often, it doesn’t give you a second chance.

We learned during COVID how important it is to continue accessing essential healthcare. Eye examinations are not a luxury—they are a vital part of maintaining your overall health, independence, and quality of life.

At Brennan & Smith Optometrists, all of our practices remain fully operational, continuing to serve our local communities as a trusted pillar of primary eye care.

Your vision matters.
Your health matters.
And early detection can change everything.

Please don’t delay your eye test.

27/03/2026

Goanna in my backyard… 🦎😳

…or so I thought.

Our brain will actually fill in what it can’t clearly see — it’s a normal visual function.
Called perceptual completion!
Your brain actively fills in missing or unclear visual information based on:
🦎Past experience
🦎Context
🦎Surrounding detail

So instead of seeing “blurry shapes,” your brain basically goes:
“That looks close enough to a goanna… must be a goanna.” 😂
So there I was, convinced there was a goanna in the tree…

Amazing what you cannot see without your glasses on! 😂

A little reminder:
Glasses aren’t the problem — they’re the solution.

👓 They don’t make your eyes worse
👓 They help you see clearly and function better
👓 And in some cases, they can actually help prevent things from getting worse

So if you’re out here mistaking planks of wood for goannas…
it might be time to get your eyes checked 😉

See a reputable, quality eye care professional and invest in eyewear that actually helps you see properly.

Because you only get two eyes…
and there are no replacement.

24/03/2026

Optometrist finally tests her own child… and immediately regrets it 😅

You know how the mechanic’s car always makes that weird noise? 🚗
Or the dentist’s kid somehow needs a filling? 🦷
Yep… turns out the optometrist’s child is the one who hasn’t had an eye test yet 🙃

My youngest asked for an eye test and I had a full internal panic…
Like WAIT… what if I’ve missed something?!
He’s the ONLY one I hadn’t tested yet 🤦‍♀️

In Australia, we’re lucky with preschool screening at age 4 👏
It’s amazing at picking up things like lazy eye early…
…but suddenly I’m sweating bullets, I need to test him first in case the optoms kid fails the test 🤦‍♀️

Good news… deep breath…
✨ He absolutely NAILED it. Perfect vision ✨

Now… plot twist… all THREE of my kids wear glasses 😎
Not because they all need them right now, but because I’m playing the long game.

They all have convergence excess / accommodative excess → which can lead to an esophoric posture
…and with mum being short-sighted… they’re high risk 👀

So this is PREVENTION.
If (or when) myopia kicks in… we’ll step things up with myopia control lenses like Stellest.

Because sometimes being an optometrist mum means…
overthinking everything… but also catching things before they even start 😉

19/03/2026

Stop doing this with your glasses 👇 (your wallet will thank you)

Wearing your glasses on your head might feel convenient… but it’s one of the quickest ways to ruin them 😅

Every time you push them up, you’re:
👉 Stretching the frame wider than it’s meant to sit
👉 Loosening the arms so they don’t hug your face properly
👉 Changing the fit and alignment of your lenses

And once that happens?
They start slipping, sitting crooked, and not giving you the clear vision they were designed for 👓

Before you know it… you’re back in needing adjustments — or worse, a whole new pair.

💡 Hot tip: If they’re not on your face, pop them in a case or hang them on your shirt instead.

Your glasses (and your bank account) will thank you 😉

Address

Armidale, NSW

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 5:30pm
Thursday 9am - 5:30pm
Friday 9am - 5:30pm
Saturday 9am - 12pm

Telephone

+61429725555

Website

https://www.cooperandsmith.com.au/

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