We’re thrilled to share that our very own Optometrist, Hasan , was featured on ITV News  this week! In the segment, Hasan offered some expert advice on contact lens safety this Halloween , reminding everyone how important it is to keep your eyes healthy while having fun with spooky costumes and coloured lenses. Whether you’re going all-out with a frightful transformation or just adding a subtle touch, Hasan’s top tips will help you enjoy the festivities safely. Catch the full ITV News clip below  to hear Hasan’s guidance and make sure your Halloween look is both safe and  spectacular!

They say that charity begins at home – and to us that means our community. We love supporting local, whether that’s local businesses, local suppliers or local events. We recently had the chance to support two local charities by getting involved in fundraising events and it was incredibly rewarding to see the impact they had, with thousands of pounds raised to support some extremely worthy causes. First up was an open evening which featured a raffle to raise funds for Compton Care – a hospice based in Wolverhampton – with additional money going to the Ukraine appeal. Compton Care provides free care and support for people living with incurable illnesses and their families. This year marks 40 years of Compton providing countless moments of care and support to families across the region who have been affected by incurable illnesses. The amazing team at Compton support families to navigate every aspect of life after diagnosis, including their physical, practical, and emotional needs. Care is tailored to each person and focuses on providing the tools, encouragement and support they need to live a good quality life. It was a privilege to be able to support them in their work and we were delighted to help contribute £438 to be shared between the two causes. Secondly, we were delighted to sponsor a particularly hair-raising event held in support of Secret Angels – a small non-profit organisation set up in April 2021 in Wolverhampton to empower communities and transform lives by helping residents in deprived areas tackle fuel and food poverty. The charity provides information and advice, run services in our local communities and campaigns with current projects including a food bank, digital inclusion and a clothes bank. The event, which was organised by Asian Music Radio, saw presenters Khalid Akhtar and Shabaz Ahmad have their bodies waxed in public while on air to raise money. Shabaz, aged 40, said: "My arm hair meant the world to me but we were happy to exchange our pain for people's pounds." The event raised an incredible £8,000 for Secret Angels. Founder Alvina Ali said: "It was a painful challenge for a good cause and raised a lot of money for our charity that will make a difference to people's lives.” Seeing the difference these events have made to all those charities has been a real boost to the team and has reinforced the importance of supporting worthy causes in our local community. We’re looking forward to getting involved in many more events in the future!

Kids are back at school, and after such a long break it may take them a while to get back into the swing of things. Not all problems are just down to a preference for video games or YouTube over schoolwork, though! Visual stress is something that affects at least 20% of the UK and can make learning and studying harder for children. A visual stress test and, if necessary, treatment such as visual stress glasses, could help your child to reach their full academic potential and make school life much easier in general. What Is Visual Stress? Visual stress, also known as Meares-Irlen Syndrome, is sometimes linked with dyslexia, but it is a condition in its own right and often affects children who are not dyslexic. It causes visual discomfort when trying to read and can put children off reading and impact their learning. There are a number of signs of visual stress, including: headaches and eye strain after reading for a short time text appearing to move on the page needing to use a finger to follow a line of text becoming distracted by patterns when reading fidgeting, squinting and a reluctance to read. If your child displays any of these symptoms, it is worth booking them in for a visual stress test. Treatment for Visual Stress The first step is to carry out a full eye exam to rule out any other potential problems, like vision correction. Next, we use a series of tests including a colorimetry assessment – you can find out more about what is included in the full assessment here. Research has shown that colour can be used to alleviate symptoms of visual stress, so the colorimetry, performed using an advanced piece of equipment called the intuitive colorimeter is used to identify which precise tint, out of thousands of combinations, is most effective in helping children to read with more ease. Once this has been identified, we can look at the best form of treatment. Coloured overlays can be used when reading from a page, but many students find specialised visual stress glasses which have tinted lenses are most helpful at school, as they can then read the board more easily too. We can even offer tinted contact lenses, if preferred. This isn’t an overnight cure, but rather a management method for visual stress, which is why more than one visit is needed to see our optometrist so they can continue to assess and monitor your child’s progress and improvement in reading. We encourage parents to enrol their children onto our Visual Stress Treatment Programme, as their appointments will then be covered at a set monthly fee. Children who have been diagnosed with visual stress and have gone through our programme have been able to enjoy increased self-confidence and fluency when reading, as well as reduced or eliminated headaches, allowing them to develop at the same rate as their school peers. Book an Assessment If you think your child could benefit from tinted glasses for visual stress or you’d like to find out more, contact us to discuss your child’s symptoms and book an assessment today.

< Back Beth Rowley Level 2 Diploma in Optical Support Beth joined Taylor Biddle 2023 and has worked in optics for over 3 years brining a wealth of knowledge and expertise. She really enjoys helping people pick the perfect frame and has a keen eye for detail. In her spare time she enjoys yoga and spending time with her dogs who keep her very busy. Optical Dispenser

< Back Dale Dobbin Optical Dispenser Dale joined Taylor Biddle in 2025. He has over 20+ years of optical experience and has brought a wealth of knowledge to the team. In his spare time he enjoys, music, holidays and shopping. Optical Dispenser

< Back Julia Kwiatkowski As Practice Manager at Taylor Biddle, Julia enjoys taking on the many challenges that help to make the business thrive. Outside of work, her main interests are gardening, antiques, design, music and socialising with friends and family. Practice Manager