Visual Stress is a visual processing disorder due to sensitivity to light and a believed hyper-excitability of the visual brain. WHAT IS VISUAL STRESS? Visual Stress is a visual processing disorder due to sensitivity to light and a believed hyper- excitability of visual brain. Visual Stress is said to affect 20% of the population – 13 million people in UK. It is not the same as dyslexia but it affects about 40% of dyslexics. As humans we are adapted to view natural images. Imagine a picture of a lake and mountains, beach, garden – is that comfortable to look at? Now imagine a stripy black and white shirt or a zebra – is that comfortable? English text is made of striped patterns which are mainly written in black on white paper, to our brain look like stripes – not natural! WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF VISUAL STRESS? Print blurs or goes out of focus Letters move, shimmer or shake Patterns like ‘rivers’ or ‘worms’ appearing when reading black on white text Glare from page or VDU Coloured halos around words Poor tracking, losing place when reading. Sore , watery eyes and headaches when reading VISUAL STRESS FULL ASSESSMENT Full eye examination – 1 hour, payable in advance. In-depth binocular vision investigation. Reading speed test Tracking Near focussing Pattern glare test Colorimetry assessment. VISUAL STRESS PROGRAMME FEES One hour full assessment £195 Follow-up appointments £95 VISUAL STRESS THERAPY PROGRAMME FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN Minimum period of 18 months. Direct debit £16 per month. Full assessment at a discounted rate of £80. Regular follow-up checks (3 to 6 months or as required). 25% off lenses (free lenses supplied if eligible for an NHS voucher). 50% off specialised tint. 50% off spare spectacles. Accidental damage cover (small excess may apply). 25% off non-NHS frames. REFERRAL VISUAL STRESS ASSESSMENT Includes Optomap imaging. 50% discount off all professional fees. 25% off all frames, lenses and tints. Please note – Assessments require 24 hours cancellation notice, or the advanced fee is forfeited. HOW CAN WE HELP? COLOURED FILTERS Filters can reduce discomfort by reducing contrast and filtering out a particular wavelength of light that causes the neurons to fire unnecessarily. But it has to be correct colour, saturation and brightness. A person may be sensitive to a particular wavelength of light and this can explain why a coloured tint can stabilize the visual brain. BINOCULAR VISION & READING Lot of symptoms of visual stress are the same as if the eyes have binocular vision insufficiency so do not work together properly. This could be due to eye muscles weakness so it’s VERY important to have full eye test and detailed binocular vision assessment. Unstable binocular vision can cause fixation to swap between eyes. This can be addressed with prescription lenses that stabilize the vision at near. Then we can proceed to Colorimetry assessment which goes through 6000 colour combinations to find the correct tint. Quick links: CHILDRENS EYECARE EYEWEAR WHAT OUR PATIENTS SAY.. "Can't recommend Taylor Biddle enough. Taras puts my daughter at ease during her visual stress tests. Staff are very welcoming and professional. Nothing is too much trouble." - J. Prosser - 02/2022 via Google

Our privacy policy provides detailed information on when and why Taylor Biddle Opticians collects your personal information, how we use and store it. PRIVACY POLICY Your Privacy At Taylor Biddle, we are committed to the highest privacy standards. However you choose to interact with us, we will only collect data that is necessary for us to deliver the best possible service and ensure you are reminded about appointments or anything else relevant to your ongoing care. This policy provides detailed information on when and why we collect your personal information, how we use it and the very limited conditions under which we may disclose it to others. Collection of your Personal Information In addition to your basic contact information (name, date of birth, telephone numbers and your addresses) we will collect other relevant details including current and past health and medication information, your examination results, payment details and lifestyle information. We may also store associated information received from other health care professionals as part of your ongoing care. How we use this information The information we collect about you is used to ensure we provide you with the best and most appropriate products and services. In addition to your ongoing eye care, we will remind you when appointments are due and suggest relevant products or services that we believe would be of interest. We use your contact information to respond to queries from you, and where appropriate your bank details to collect Direct Debit payments as agreed. We may occasionally contact you to ask for your feedback on the services we have provided and to offer the opportunity to trial new products. Our policy on storage, processing, and retention of your information To provision and manage our services, your data is stored and processed by Optix Software Ltd within their UK facilities that are certified to ISO27001. If we collect Direct Debits from you these payments will be processed by Eyecare Payments Ltd. Any third-party company is only permitted to process your data for the specified purposes and in accordance with our instructions. We retain your information for as long as reasonably necessary to provide our products and services and to maintain records to satisfy tax and other legal requirements. How and when we may share your personal information Where necessary we may disclose your information to health care professionals including the NHS. We may also pass information to external agencies and organizations, including the police, for the prevention and detection of fraud and criminal activity. Should any claim be made, we may pass your personal information to our insurers and if our business is wholly or partially transferred to a third party, your personal information may be one of the transferred assets. Your rights with respect to the Personal Information we hold You are entitled to access the personal information that we hold on you; any such request should be made using our contact details below. If any data we hold is inaccurate, this will be corrected promptly on request. In certain circumstances, you can request that we erase your data which we will do where this would not prevent us from meeting our legal and regulatory obligations. Updating your communication preferences You may ask that we do not send you communications using any of the contact details we hold on our records, this may include your email, SMS, telephone and postal information. You may also request we restrict our communications to clinically necessary messages. Your personal preferences can be changed at any time by using the link at the end of every email and SMS message we send or by using our contact details below. 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The cookies collect information in a way that does not directly identify anyone, including the number of visitors to the website and blog, where visitors have come to the website from and the pages they visited. Managing cookies You can remove any cookies already stored on your computer and you can control how your web browser deals with cookies by changing your browser settings. However this may prevent you from using parts of our website. Many browsers give a range of options for managing cookies, including obtaining consent for every cookie, blocking certain types of cookie and blocking cookies from unrecognised websites. Finally, you can set your browser to block all cookies however you should be aware that many sites will not work as smoothly as you are used to and some basic functionality that is dependent on cookies will not work at all. 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Our most up to date privacy policy is always available on our website. Last updated: April 2022 Contacting us Visit our contact page to find our most up to date contact information.

< 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 Sarah Bedworth BSc (Hons) FBDO Sarah has worked in optics as a Dispensing Optician for over 30 years in a variety of practices and has been with Taylor Biddle since 2017. She loves our busy environment and enjoys all aspects of optical work, especially the challenge of more complex dispensing . Sarah loves mountain biking and motorhome holidays. Dispensing Optician

< Back Tom Green BSc (Hons) FBDO Tom has been at Taylor Biddle since 2018 and became a qualified Dispensing Optician in 2025. He enjoys working in our busy environment and is passionate about customer care. Tom likes music, such as The Stone Roses and Oasis as well as wartime history. Also he loves socialising with friends and is a massive West Brom fan. Dispensing Optician

Shop contact lenses through the Contact Lens Plan. Book your appointment online today! CONTACT LENS PLAN Regular contact lens checks are important. Not only is the health of the anterior eye checked, but the suitability of the contact lenses is assessed with regards to the type of lens and to any subtle prescription changes. Our Contact Lens Plans also include an annual sight test which we consider very important. Small changes in the prescription can then be incorporated into the contact lens prescription. Learn more about our popular options below. Customised bundle plans are also available, contact us for more information. Contact Lens Plan (CLP) £9.50 per month What's included? Regular contact lens checks as required. Emergency contact lens checks if required. If prescription changes, unopened boxes maybe exchanged. Emergency replacement lenses where possible supplied. Annual eye examinations. Contact Lens Plan Premium (CLPP) £13.00 per month Has all the CLP benefits, PLUS: Extended Eye Examination Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and/ or Optomap Scans Anterior/ Dry Eye Assessments 15% discount off spectacles and contact lens solutions CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OUR CONACT LENS PLANS GET IN TOUCH

< Back Hasan Akhtar BSc(Hons) MCOptom DipTp(IP) Prof Cert Med Ret Prof Cert Glauc AFHA Hasan graduated from Aston University in 2016 with a 1st class honours degree in Optometry. He joined Taylor Biddle in 2018 and became a partner in April 2021. Alongside his work with Taylor Biddle, he is a Sessional Lecturer and Clinical Supervisor at Aston University teaching the degree programme as well as a Faculty Member for Johnson & Johnson Vision and Assessor for the College of Optometrists. Hasan specialises in Medical Retina and Glaucoma but also became an Independent Prescriber in 2023 allowing him to prescribe more medications to help treat eye conditions. Hasan has sat on the local optical committee since 2020 which allows him to stay at the forefront of Optometry and implement the latest shared care schemes and enhancements to the services we provide. In his spare time he enjoys theatre, outdoor adventures, socialising and travelling the world. Optometrist Director

The Minor Eye Conditions Service (MECS) provides assessment and treatment for people with recently occurring minor eye problems. It is an NHS service provided by accredited optometrists COVID-19 URGENT EYESERVICE (CUES) We can now see you under a free service (if you’re registered with a Wolverhampton or South Staffs GP) for minor eye conditions, instead of you having to go to the Eye Infirmary. This free service is available for people of all ages. Our optometrists have undergone further training in order to treat a number of minor eye concerns. Please note that this is not a sight test. Also, if you have a major eye condition that is being regularly monitored by your optometrist or hospital eye service, it will not be covered by this service; for example, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy or glaucoma. WHAT CONDITIONS CAN BE TREATED AT A MECS APPOINTMENT? Foreign body in the eye Red eye or eyelids Dry eye, or gritty and uncomfortable eyes Irritation and inflammation of the eye Significant recent sticky discharge from the eye, or watery eye Recently occurring flashers of floaters Ingrowing eyelashes Recent and sudden loss of vision HOW CAN I MAKE AN APPOINTMENT? To make an appointment, call us and you will be asked some questions about your symptoms. This will enable us to assess how quickly you need to be seen, which will be within 24 hours in urgent cases and within a few days for a routine appointment. Please bring your glasses and a list of your current medication along to the appointment. The optometrist may put drops in your eyes to enlarge your pupils in order to get a better view inside your eyes. You should not drive until the effects of these drops has worn off, which may take a few hours. Our optometrists are able to issue prescriptions to treat minor eye conditions. If your condition is more serious, the optometrist will book you an urgent appointment at a hospital eye clinic. If you need a routine appointment with a hospital, the optometrist will organise this for you. You may also be advised to make an appointment with your GP if your eye condition is related to your general health. Before you go to hospital, ask your optometrist. Quick links: GET IN TOUCH EYE TESTS

Our Premium Eyecare Plan covers the extended eye examination and all the benefits included in Private Eye Examination Plan and more. EYECARE PLANS We are now offering exclusive Eyecare plans to spread the cost of enhanced eyecare . Currently the standard NHS funded eye exam is the same as it was when it was first implemented in 1948, but technology and expertise have increased a hundredfold since then. Eye conditions that previously would have caused blindness are often treatable, and there is now the ability to detect these problems early with the aid of cutting-edge technology like our OCT & Optomap. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? Inclusive Eye examinations As often as needed Extended eye examinations Longer appointment times Value for money Spread the cost monthly, no lump sum Peace of mind Terms & Conditions apply PRIVATE EYE EXAMINATION PLAN (PEEP) Our PEEP plan provides excellent value for money and peace of mind. For a monthly fee of just £8.50, it will cover all of your professional charges, see you as often as required, and not at strictly defined time intervals as laid out by the NHS. You will be booked for a longer appointment so that there is more time to discuss your requirements and to carry out any further tests as needed so that we can provide the best possible care for you. WHATS INCLUDED? £8.50 PER MONTH Comprehensive eye examination Under 30’s eye exam Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT scan) Daytona Optomap Ultra Wide View scan Pressures Check Anterior eye assessment Private Diabetic Assessment TAYLOR BIDDLE OPTICIANS EYECARE PLAN (TBO ECP) This Premium Plan covers the extended eye examination and all the benefits included in PEEP, but also gives a greater value for spectacle wearers with 25% discount on all eyewear and a two year accidental damage guarantee for an additional peace of mind. £14 PER MONTH Comprehensive eye examination Under 30s eye exam Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT scan) Daytona Optomap Ultra Wide View scan Pressures Check Anterior eye assessment Private Diabetic Assessment Consultant requested fields test plus report Consultant requested retinal scans plus report 25% discount off spectacles and lenses 15% discount off all products and solutions (excluding contact lenses). A guarantee on new spectacles for two years (small excess applies) Minimum contract 18 months, and then 6 months after the latest purchase. WHATS INCLUDED? CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OUR EYECARE PLANS GET IN TOUCH Quick links: OCT & OPTOMAP EYEWEAR

< Back Matt Baker RHAD, MSHAA Matt qualified as an Audiologist in 1999, and has been passionate about clinical, patient focused hearing care ever since. Matt has been with Taylor Biddle since 2022, practising out of Wombourne. His wife Aphra is the resident Clinical Audiologist at Compton. Both Matt and Aphra believe in clinical, in-depth audiological testing and aftercare, and provide a service that is second to none in the private sector, specialising in tailored hearing solutions and comprehensive aftercare treatment programmes. In his spare time Matt enjoys spending time with the couple's many animals, teaching himself guitar, traditional archery, paddleboarding and photography. Clinical Audiologist

Myopia control or myopia management is the area of children's eye care dedicated to slowing down childhood myopia progression. MYOPIA CONTROL Myopia (short sightedness) is becoming far more prevalent amongst children, and it’s estimated that by the year 2050, roughly half of the world’s population will be myopic. Some children have a continual progression of their myopia throughout their school years – often only stabilising when they have achieved full growth/adulthood. Children are more likely to have progressive myopia if: One or both parents are myopic Being of East Asian ethnic origin Spending limited time outdoors/lots of close/computer work Developing myopia before nine years old may significantly increase the risk of developing high myopia Not only does myopia progression means that the spectacles get thicker and heavier as they increase in strength, and that your child becomes more dependent on them as they are increasingly unable to see without them, but there are eye health benefits of limiting the progression and end stage prescription. Myopia management may reduce the risk of your child developing myopia related sight loss in adulthood. We now have several methods open to us to limit the progression of myopia. MYOPA MANAGEMENT CONTACT LENSES There are two types of contact lenses available: Soft specialist daily contact lenses – which need to be worn for about 10-12 hours a day for at least 6 days a week. Spectacles are required when contact lenses are not worn. The contact lenses can be fitted from as young as 8 years old. They go up to a -6.00 prescription and the direct debit is £45pm. Ortho K/EyeDream lenses – These are ‘hard’ lenses which are worn overnight. The lens gently reshapes the cornea (front of the eye) altering the prescription so that spectacles/contacts are not required during the day. These lenses are worn every night for a minimum of 8 hours. Additional spectacles are not required. These lenses can be fitted from the age of 8 and manage myopia (short sightedness) up to -4.50 and astigmatism up to -1.50. Click here to learn more. MYOPIA MANAGEMENT SPECTACLE LENSES If your child would prefer glasses instead of contact lenses, we are proud to offer two different advanced spectacle lenses as an alternative - MiYOSMART and Stellest. From HOYA, the MiYOSMART lenses are an innovative spectacle lens incorporating ‘DIMs’ technology (defocus incorporated multiple segments). Worn full time, they are lightweight, impact resistant and go up to a -10.00 prescription. Stellest lenses from Essilor also aim to slow the progression of Myopia. Thanks to their H.A.L.T technology, research suggests that Stellest lenses can slow down myopia progression by 67% on average when compared to single vision lenses. The initial set-up fee for MiYOSMART or Stellest lenses is £195 which includes the NHS voucher and a basic frame, thereafter a direct debit payment of £45pm. All follow-up appointments are included together with new lenses every 12 months or sooner if there is a prescription change. A second pair can be purchased at a special price of £100 which includes a basic frame. All the above monthly direct debits include any NHS sight tests and vouchers applicable. No method is guaranteed to work, but research shows an average of 60% slowing down of Myopia progression. Quick links: CHILDRENS EYECARE ORTHO-K

< Back Aphra Elisabeth Baker & Abi Davis RHAD, MSHAA & BSc Aphra With over 20 years of experience in audiology, Aphra is dedicated to helping people improve their hearing and enhance their quality of life. She specialises in treating a wide range of hearing issues—everything from mild hearing loss to more complex conditions and tinnitus management. Aphra works for The Hearing Care Partnership at Taylor Biddle Opticians , where she takes pride in offering personalised care to each patient. She is committed to understanding their unique needs and providing tailored solutions to ensure they hear more clearly and comfortably. Working alongside her husband, Matt Baker at the Wombourne branch, and our dedicated Hearing Care Assistant, Abi Davis, Aphra is part of a supportive, knowledgeable team that focuses on patient-centered care. Outside of her professional life, Aphra enjoys reading, archery, paddleboarding, and wild swimming. She’s also a devoted animal lover, caring for a variety of pets, including cats, ducks, chickens, and peacocks. With a passion for making a difference in people’s lives, Aphra is excited to help you hear the world around you more clearly. Abi In 2023, Abi graduated from the University of Warwick with a First-Class Honours degree in Biomedical Science and began her career in audiology. She finds great satisfaction in helping patients improve their hearing and reconnect with the world around them. Being part of their journey toward better hearing and an enhanced quality of life is deeply rewarding for her. Outside of work, Abi enjoys socialising over brunch with friends, attending live music events, reading, and spending time with her pet tortoise. Clinical Audiologist