Black Gates Optometrists

12/12/2025

☀️ 𝗡𝗭 𝗦𝘂𝗻 𝗜𝘀 𝗡𝗼 𝗝𝗼𝗸𝗲: 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗘𝘆𝗲𝘀 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗻 🕶️
We all know sunscreen protects our skin—but what about our eyes? UV rays can cause painful short-term issues like photokeratitis and long-term damage such as cataracts. They also contribute to skin cancers and eyelid conditions—so full UV protection matters.

Learn how to shield your eyes with the right eyewear and smart habits.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗨𝗩 𝗲𝘆𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: https://blackgatesoptometrists.co.nz/2025/12/12/uv-protection-for-eyes-shielding-from-damaging-uv-rays-in-nzs-harsh-sunlight/

01/12/2025

⏰ 𝘕𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘴? 🎄
This 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟯 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 is the 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘀 if you want to have them before the Christmas break‼️

✈️ 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭-𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺? 🧳
Don’t forget to 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝟮𝟯 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 so you're all set before we close for Christmas.

Make sure your eyes are holiday-ready — our team at Black Gates Optometrists is here to help you see clearly this festive season.

03/11/2025

𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗿𝘀!
The holiday season is approaching fast, so make sure to plan ahead for a carefree holiday. If you need contact lenses in time for Christmas, keep these dates in mind:

✅ 𝗢𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘆 𝟯 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 to guarantee delivery before the Christmas break.
✅ 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝟮𝟯 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 so you’re all set to enter 2026 with clear vision before we close for the holidays.

27/10/2025

𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝑩𝒍𝒐𝒈: 𝒁𝑬𝑰𝑺𝑺 𝑳𝒆𝒏𝒔 𝑪𝒐𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅
Lens coatings aren’t just add-ons, they’re essential to how your glasses perform day to day. From reducing glare and resisting scratches to filtering blue light and enhancing style, coatings can make a big difference in clarity and comfort.

Check our latest blog to explore the full range of ZEISS DuraVision® coatings and find out which one suits your needs and lifestyle best.

Read the blog here: https://tinyurl.com/28pz77yf

16/10/2025

🎉 𝗪𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀! 🖍️
Thank you to all the amazing young artists who entered our 𝑺𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍 𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 at our Lower Hutt and Johnsonville branches, we were blown away by your creativity, colour choices, and imagination!

After much deliberation by our local independent artist judge, we’re thrilled to announce the winners:
🏆 𝗟𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝘂𝘁𝘁 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿: Cooper, 7 years old
🏆 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿: Victoria, 10 years old

Each winner will receive a Creative Prize Pack featuring:
🎧 Plush Bluetooth wireless headphones
🖌️ Calligraphy brush pens
🖍️ Colour pencils
📓 And a notebook for even more artistic adventures!

A huge thank you to everyone who participated, your artwork truly brightened our stores and our days. A special thanks to Cooper Vision for providing the prize packs, and to Johannes Mueller-Welschof, our competition's judge and whose artwork you can check out at Black Gates during the Art Trail this weekend.

15/10/2025

𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝑪𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝑶𝒖𝒓 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚
Lower Hutt’s second Art Trail is on this weekend! The event will feature over 50 artists from across the Lower Hutt Region, spanning from Taita to Eastbourne.

Black Gates Optometrists is proud to support this year’s Lower Hutt Art Trail. We are hosting a display of artwork in our Lower Hutt store from Johannes Mueller-Welschof who is the Art Trail Committee Chair and one of the talented artists in this year’s show.

There are also Trail Guides available so pick one up in-store and start planning your route today!

14/10/2025

09/10/2025

𝑰𝒏 𝑭𝒐𝒄𝒖𝒔: 𝑺𝒊𝒕𝒂 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊 – 𝑶𝒑𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒕, 𝑨𝒅𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒓, 𝑫𝒐𝒈 𝑴𝒖𝒎
If you’ve visited our Lower Hutt branch, chances are you’ve met Sita—a long-standing optometrist at Black Gates. This month, we’re shining a light on her story in our latest blog: In Focus – Sita Thakersi.

From childhood eye exams with her family optometrist Sally (who she still bumps into at conferences!) to trekking to Everest Base Camp to provide eye care in remote villages, Sita’s journey is anything but ordinary.

She’s currently off on another volunteer adventure—this time to Annapurna Base Camp with Eyes4Everest. We’ll share more when she’s back, including some no-doubt stunning photos.

Read the full blog to learn more about Sita’s path to optometry, her family’s eye health legacy, and her fluffy walking companion Bailey: https://blackgatesoptometrists.co.nz/2025/10/03/in-focus-sita-thakersi/

P.S. Her Staff Pick is coming soon… once those flash new frames arrive!

25/09/2025

𝑫𝒐 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒈𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝑵𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝑻𝒐 𝑪𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝑭𝒓𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒔?
If picking new glasses feels overwhelming, you're not alone—and we're here to help. Our latest blog post breaks down how to make the process easier, more enjoyable, and tailored to you. From understanding what suits your face shape and lifestyle, to exploring new technology that helps you visualise the perfect fit, this guide is packed with practical tips and insights.

Read the full blog and discover how choosing eyewear can be a confident, creative experience: https://blackgatesoptometrists.co.nz/2025/09/25/choosing-the-right-frame/

Whether you're due for a new look or just curious about what’s out there, this article is your starting point. And if you want to make the process even easier, visit us in Lower Hutt or Johnsonville and let our specialist eyewear consultants help you with finding eyewear that’s as individual as you are.

Book an appointment today:
https://tinyurl.com/2pw2nd5h

23/09/2025

🎨 𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗟 𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗘𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡! 🖍️
Calling all young artists aged 1–13 years!
Our Lower Hutt and Johnsonville branches are running a colouring competition these school holidays — and we want YOU to join in the fun!

🗓️ 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀: Monday 22 September – Sunday 5 October
📍 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: Black Gates Optometrists, Lower Hutt & Johnsonville

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀:
1️⃣ Choose from 𝟰 𝗮𝘄𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗲𝘁𝘀 (available in-store or via email)
2️⃣ Take it home, get creative, and bring your masterpiece back!
3️⃣ Make sure to include your 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀 on the back and provide an 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 to complete your entry.

🎁 𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗭𝗘𝗦:
Two lucky winners (one from each store) will receive a creative prize pack including:
🖌️ A set of 10 calligraphy brush pens
🖍️ A set of 12 colour pencils
🎧 A set of Plush Bluetooth wireless headphones
📓 One notebook

Entries will be judged by a local independent artist, and winners will be announced after the competition closes. One entry will be accepted per person.

📧 Prefer to print the colouring sheet at home? No problem! Just email us at reception@blackgates.co.nz and we’ll send you a sheet.

𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘳 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳. 𝘉𝘺 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘶𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥’𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦.

Let the colouring begin! 🌈

20/08/2025

𝑾𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝒁𝒆𝒊𝒔𝒔 𝑳𝒆𝒏𝒔 𝑫𝒐 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝑵𝒆𝒆𝒅 - 𝑺𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝑽𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒓 𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝑩𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏???
You’ve found the perfect frame – now you need the right lenses to optimise your vision. Not all lenses are created equal. We are here to help you select the best lens options to suit your lifestyle.
At Black Gates Optometrists, we partner with ZEISS for high quality lens design, with a wide range of types and coatings to fit different needs and budgets. Here’s our guide to understanding the different types of lenses that are available:
https://tinyurl.com/2nf46ymv

Whether you need everyday eyewear, specialised lenses, or advanced technology to reduce eye strain, we can help you find the perfect solution for your needs. Book an appointment today:
https://tinyurl.com/2pw2nd5h

14/07/2025

𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 “2 𝑻𝒓𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑨 𝑳𝒊𝒆” 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒘, 𝑲𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏 𝑺𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒕!
Karen successfully guessed that Robert started working at Black Gates Optometrists in 1989 and has won a free pack of 50 Zeiss lens wipes!
Thank you to everyone who entered. Keep an eye out for your next chance to play “2 Truths & A Lie” with us again soon. It's easy to win, so have a go next time!