About Us
The practice was founded in 1931 by Ralph Ingram, with the aim of providing a complete ophthalmic service instead of just the provision of spectacles. Ralph was always interested in innovation, and imported the first custom-made ophthalmic chair into the UK from the United States. He was joined in 1974 by David Austen and the practice continued to grow, regularly investing in the latest equipment and creating the practice that is David Austen Optometry today. Patient care is our first priority and from computer controlled visual field units to our electronic test charts and laser scanning ophthalmoscope, our patient journey is supported by up-to-date equipment and well trained staff.
With thousands of eye examinations conducted yearly and with many new patients joining us as a result of recommendations from family and friends, you’ll find a busy, welcoming and friendly atmosphere in our practice. Our independence gives us the flexibility to choose the best from our suppliers whilst our size gives us status as preferred partners - giving us first pick of the latest innovations, spectacle frames and lenses. We have nearly 1000 frames on display at any one time and these are regularly updated with new stock. We look forward to welcoming both our existing and new patients to the practice.
Sustainability
At David Austen Optometry, we take sustainability and the role of reducing our carbon footprint seriously. We have accepted re-glazes for many years, allowing patients to re-use existing frames in good condition. When spectacles have come to the end of their usefulness, we accept them for re-use in other countries. When a new roof was needed in 2011, we asked for extra insulation, to keep us warm in winter, and cool in the summer. We have steadily replaced lights to low energy alternatives.
We were also one of the first companies to support contact lens recycling and also stock frames made from recycled materials and sustainable products. Our bags have been paper for many years, but we are also trying to reduce our paper use with emailed patient information sheets, rather than printing them out. A large, planned IT upgrade in late 2023 will reduce energy use further and facilitate more electronic communication. We also support staff use of public transport and provide a safe area for them to store their bicycles to reduce the use of cars.
