Richard Fantom Eyecare Ltd

17/03/2026

Last week was World Glaucoma Week and Glaucoma UK have been encouraging people to discuss eye health. Most people will have heard of glaucoma and often know it relates to eye pressure. The consultants from UHCW got together to create a video about glaucoma, to explain what it is, who is at risk, and who should be screened for glaucoma (spoiler alert - it's everyone, including you!).
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DV1yaxFDBgR/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

For those not on Instragram (well that was me until a few mins ago), I have the transcript below:

"Glaucoma is the second most common cause of preventable blindness across the world.
Glaucoma is often asymptomatic in its early stages, so a lot of people don't know that they have the condition until they lose a lot of vision from the disease.
Vision loss from glaucoma is permanent and can not be restored.
Glaucoma usually affects the peripheral vision of your eyes. So people don't usually notice that until it affects the central vision.
Modern glaucoma treatment has revolutionised the life of glaucoma patients and most of the patients, if treated and followed up properly, can maintain useful vision during lifetime.
Glaucoma risk increases significantly after the age of 40 years and it's most common in those who are over 60.
People of African, Caribbean, or Asian descent are at significantly higher risk of glaucoma and may develop the disease earlier.
There is at least a 4 times higher risk of having glaucoma if you have any family history of glaucoma - in your parents as well as your siblings.
Glaucoma treatments include glaucoma drops, lasers and surgery and these can be individualised to meet the requirement of the patient and the condition.
Early detection of glaucoma is key.
If you're over 40, it's important to organise a regular eye examination with your optometrist, at least every two years."

16/03/2026

Bidford Bridge Closures

Once again the bridge over the Avon is subject to closures, this time for planned maintenance. The plan is for scaffolding to be erected over the two weeks starting from today, Monday 16 March. It means the bridge will be closed from 09:30 to 15:30 Monday to Friday, but open for morning and evening rush hour, overnight and over weekends.
For full up-to-date info see the Warwickshire County Council website:
https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/news/article/7487/rescheduled-bidford-bridge-restoration-work-set-to-begin

26/02/2026

We've now added WhatsApp as an easy way to contact us. On your phone WhatsApp search for Richard Fantom Eyecare or 07441 123409.
This same number can be used for calls and to send SMS (text) messages.
We look forward to hearing from you!

23/02/2026

I am pleased to share with you the final pupdate about Hazel, our sponsored Guide Dog puppy. Why the last? Hazel has done very well and is no longer a Guide Dog in training, but a the valued partner to her owner, Irene.
Do have a read of the comments from Irene. Her experience makes the work of The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association so worth donating to.

So I shall look forward to sharing news of our next sponsored puppy in the near future.

https://youtu.be/gr8qqW8IXeY

Hello, it’s Irene here, Hazel’s partner.

I was able to see until I was about nine years old. Around that time, things started to change. I went from being top of the class to the bottom, and my teachers were both confused and concerned. I began sitting closer and closer to the blackboard, but even then, I couldn’t make out what it said. I struck up a deal with the boy next to me – he’d read out the questions, and I’d let him copy my answers. Eventually, I underwent tests in London, where I was diagnosed with a degenerative eye condition called retinitis pigmentosa.

After that, I attended a school for children with vision impairments, learnt braille, and took my GCEs (as they were called back then). When I finished school, I started work as a shorthand and audio typist, got married, and had two children. For a long time, my sight stayed quite steady, but eventually it began to worsen again.

When I saw my consultant, he asked if I’d ever thought about having a guide dog. At the time, I didn’t think my sight was bad enough to qualify. But as it deteriorated further, my husband picked up the phone to Guide Dogs on my behalf – and soon after, in 1982, I was partnered with my very first guide dog.

Life with Hazel
Working with Hazel has been an absolute joy. It felt a little strange at first to be out with a dog again after such a long time without one, but that feeling quickly disappeared. Having Hazel means I can now walk at the pace I want to, as walking with a white cane slowed me down. On our first trip into town after qualifying, I couldn’t believe the speed we were walking down the high street! I always say I feel blind when I’m using a cane, but I don’t feel that way when I have a dog by my side.

Hazel is a lovely, confident walker, and she enables me to get around town and other busy places with ease. She’s a laid-back, relaxed dog to live with, and loves exploring different places and trying new things. She particularly enjoys finding things and completing tasks when we’re out, such as locating stairs. She’s such a clever girl. When family and friends come to visit, they often say, “Hazel looks like she’s been here forever,” and that’s exactly how it feels.

Thank you for sponsoring Hazel. Without kind people like you, wonderful partnerships like ours wouldn’t happen. I

Sponsored pup Hazel, a golden retriever cross Labrador, is at Pupdate 6 stage. She has qualified as a guide dog and has been matched with guide dog owner, Ir...

20/02/2026

I’ve been away this week. I’m on holiday with my family in beautiful Finland. It’s cold and snowy. We’ve enjoyed skiing in the world’s most Northerly ski area, toboganning, a husky ride and walks in Aurora Park.
It’s been very chilled, in both senses, with daily sauna to relax deeper.
I’ve not completely forgotten work though and have been evaluating a new Contact lens too.

20/02/2026

Online Booking
https://patientbookings.co.uk/RichardFantomEyecare
We are pleased to now be able to offer online booking.

We hope it will be easy to use and hope it will be convenient too. Of course our friendly reception team will still be on hand to book your appointment on the telephone or in person. Not all appointments will be available to book online either.

For the moment we can offer online booking for Eye Examinations, Contact Lens Aftercare, Collection of spectacles, Adjustments and Dispensing and Styling Consultations.

If you have any feedback for us, please do get in touch too.

Book your Independent Opticians Appointment online

22/01/2026

Glaucoma Awareness Month
January is Glaucoma Awareness Month.

So what is glaucoma? The definition is that glaucoma is a progressive neuropathy, usually involving raised intraocular pressure. Or in English: loss of vision caused by damage to the nerve due to too high pressure.
There are a number of types of glaucoma, the most common ones are Chronic Open Angle Glaucoma and Acute Closed Angle Glaucoma.

So how would I know if I have glaucoma? Of the two most common types, the acute form is the one that people will report having because it comes on very suddenly and causes severe pain plus blurred vision. Because of the sudden changes to the vision people will never ignore this type of glaucoma.

The other common type is Chronic Open Angles Glaucoma. This is sometimes referred to a the Silent Thief of Sight. Eventually it does cause symptoms because the vision is lost. However, in the earlier stages the patient is unaware of it and for this reason we expect to find cases long before the patient loses vision. We screen for it routinely during each and every eye examination and do more tests to check for it from the age of 40.

Treatment? Screening for a disease is only really worthwhile if you can treat that disease. Fortunately glaucoma is a very treatable condition but treatment can only arrest the condition, not restore vision already lost. That is why it is so important to find the problem before the patient has lost any significant vision. Treatment is under the care of an ophthalmologist (medical doctor specialising in eyes) and involves eye drops or surgery, or increasingly often minimally invasive laser surgery.

Some groups of people are more likely to develop glaucoma but I have always had a policy that we screen for it in every eye examination, even for low risk patients.

Here you will find a video from RNIB.

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month. Glaucoma can affect anyone, and the most common type of glaucoma doesn’t hurt and has no symptoms until it’s quite advan...

22/12/2025

Here is another lovely video from Guide Dogs For The Blind. Our sponsored puppy, Hazel, is now a working dog and has been working with her owner Irene for some time. Hazel appears at around 2:18 in this video.

A compilation video of sponsored pups throughout 2025. Video is a mix of pups of all ages, starting from the youngest around eight weeks old to the qualified...

08/12/2025

Christmas is coming, whether we are ready or not. Here are our opening hours for the festive season.

Wednesday 24 December 09:00 to 13:00 Christmas Eve
Thursday 25 December closed Christmas Day
Friday 26 December closed Boxing Day
Saturday 27 December 09:00 to 13:00

Monday 29 December 09:00 to 16:00
Tuesday 30 December 09:00 to 17:30
Wednesday 31 December 09:00 to 13:00
Thursday 1 January closed New Year's Day
Friday 2 January normal hours resume

31/10/2025

Avoid a fright this Halloween with novelty contact lenses.

The College of Optometrists has issued the following advice for those intending to wear contact lenses this Halloween:

Unlike standard contact lenses, fancy dress lenses may not be tailored to your eyes, which can increase the risk of eye health issues. Lenses that are not properly fitted, or from unreputable sources, may increase the risk of contact lens-related complications such as scratching your eye or causing an infection, so it is important that all contact lenses are fitted and dispensed by a qualified professional who can give you the appropriate advice on how to wear and use them safely.

If you are re-wearing contact lenses of any sort, including novelty lenses, you must make sure that they are suitable for this purpose, and only within the re-use period after first opening. You should clean and disinfect them thoroughly after use with the recommended contact lens solution. Never use tap water, the wrong solution, or lick them – and if they drop on the floor don’t simply pop them back in.

You should never use contact lenses after their expiry date.

You should not share contact lenses with friends, as even quickly trying them on can lead to eye infections.

Driving with novelty lenses (even if you wear glasses over the top) may also be dangerous: if the lens aperture does not align with your pupil they may impair your vision.

If you experience any eye discomfort when, or after, wearing any type of contact lens you should contact your optometrist for advice without delay.

Are you considering wearing novelty contact lenses this Halloween?Many who plan to dress up as part of Halloween celebrations will consider wearing cosmetic ...

20/10/2025

We have another Pupdate for you about our sponsored Guide Dog and I am delighted to report that Hazel has passed through training and has now been placed with a guide-dog user, Irene. It really is very moving to hear what a difference Hazel has made to Irene's life.

Sponsored pup Hazel, a golden retriever cross Labrador, is at Pupdate 5 stage. She has qualified as a guide dog and has been matched with Guide Dog Owner, Ir...

15/10/2025

My many customers will know that I love using new technology to make eye care better. I pride myself on having the best available equipment but even more importantly, knowing how to use it.
Pictured here is my latest piece of kit, along with the oldest. The new item is a VX-40 automated focimeter. As we have become more and more busy I wanted something to save time. With this device you can pretty much "throw a pair of spectacles at it and the machine will measure them". Once you mount the pair of spectacles it measures each lens power and lens position, ready to print out. This speeds up the checking of jobs before we notify the patient that they are ready, and measurement of a pair of spectacles for new patients. It also produces a graphic to demonstrate the way that focus power changes across the lens.

Also shown in the picture is my oldest piece of equipment, the Serelo ruler. I bought it in 1989 and it still works, doesn't use batteries and is just as accurate as the day I purchased it.