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Welcome to my website

• A warm welcome to my practice

• Finest selection of top designer frames in MK

• 500+ haute couture sunglasses always in stock

• The best possible personal care and service

My Professional Services

• State of Art Eye Examination

• Quality frames & lenses

• Expert in contact lenses

• Exclusive OCT examinations

Click for more details

Why Me?

• H&D is my practice and I care

• H&D is not a franchise - it's just me!

• I believe passionately about patient care

• Unique practice predicated on quality

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Offer of the Month

SALE NOW ON

The Harrods Sale is famous but ours is only a lttle way behind!

Huge numbers of our best frames and sunnies are at remarkable low prices -

up to 50% off!

Please come and have a browse and enjoy a nice cuppa.

My husband, Bob, is working to refresh the website for the new year. There are some areas that are still to be completed so please forgive the occasional blank page.

Eye Examination Details

All opticians don't offer the same. I include procedures that are rare to find elsewhere.

Click here to make booking your

eye examination easier

The Only Independent Optician in Central Milton Keynes
Sight is essential but most of us take it for granted. Welcome to my practice where the only thing you need take for granted is my pledge to provide you with the very best in optical care and eye-wear. As owner and optometrist, I guarantee you an unparalleled level of customer service whatever your ophthalmic needs. H&D is my business reflecting my own high standards and attention to detail. I value your sight and make significant investments to give you access to the most advanced diagnostic techniques available including retinal imaging and OCT. From personal experience I know how glasses and contact lenses give freedom to ring the changes dependent on mood, style and setting. Artists say the frame makes the picture - my team are masters of the art. With our vision and exclusive top designer collections, changing your style is more than an optical illusion. Come and experience the warm and friendly welcome and see us for yourself. Claire Ranger

Claire Ranger Owner & Optometrist

Click to learn more about me and my practice

My Services

How to Book Your Eye Examination

How to Book Your Eye Examination with me:

By Telephone (24/7 ringback) 01908 695395

My Mobile 07860 519749

By email:

The Eye Examination What's an Eye Test/ExaminationWhat makes my practice different?I can assure you that, based on my investment on the best and latest technology you will receive the best possible eye examination with me.There is a world of difference between and ‘eye test’ and an eye examination. I provide all the procedures that other opticians offer but in addition I include:• Ocular Coherence Tomography (OCT)• Examination underneath the top layer of the retina• Sub retinal leaks• Detection of retinal holes• Detection of epi-retinal membranes• Comparison of the retinal thickness against the norm• Detection of any nerve damage• Monitoring of nerve level thickness for changes • Measurement of corneal thickness• Detection of glaucoma before all other techniques • Check anterior angles for narrowing or closureEven if everything is normal it gives me great baseline for future examinations and like anything in life the sooner we pick up problems the sooner they can be treated and the better the outcome.I would urge you to see the difference I can offer in my comprehensive 45 minute appointment.

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Contact Lens Care

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Contact Lens CareContact lenses can give you freedom from glasses, whether its all the time, for sports or just for going out, there is usually a contact lens that will suit. At Hammond and Dummer we have access to any lens that’s available and we make sure that we get the best ones for you.If you are new to contact lenses we take you through a step by step procedure to ensure that we get the best lenses to suit your needs and requirements.First we need an up to date eye examination, this ensures that we have your most up to date prescription and that your eyes are healthy. We then have a close look at the front of your eyes and take some measurements to ensure that they are suitable for lens wear.We will talk to you about how often you want to wear lenses and what you want to wear them for. We will then discuss with you the various options that will meet you r requirements.Once we know which lenses we are going to use, we will place them on your eyes. This gives you a chance to feel how comfortable lenses really are, and we can then make sure they fit correctly and work out the best prescription for you.We will then teach you how to use contact lenses. How to place them on your eyes, how to remove them, what you can and can’t do with them as well as how to care for them. This can take a little time and may take a few sessions.You will then be able to take the lenses with you. We will then need to see you a week or so later to make sure that everything is absolutely fine with the lenses before you need to start buying them.We usually see you 3 months later, and then every 6 months, to ensure that you are getting the best from your lenses and that they are not causing any problems.Of course there is always someone on the end of the phone or at the practice should you have any queries in the meantime.

Eye Care Programme

The Hammond & Dummer Eye Care Programme

The H&D Eye Care Programme is a fantastic way of looking after your eye health and saving money. A small Direct Debit twelve monthly fee entitles you to full annual ocular health care, discounts on frames, lenses and sunglasses together with a significant discount should your H&D frames & lenses suffer accidental damage.You can start today – the Programme is immediate and discounts apply to your first purchase or your ocular examination.Benefits:State of the art eye examinations when required Annual OCT health examination All urgent check-ups and referrals 40% discount on replacement frames & lenses broken by accidental damage Between10% and 25% discount on frames and lenses Between10% and 25% discount on sunglasses Priority sale preview Invitations to bi-yearly Champagne receptions and designer previews Cleaning kit for glasses and unlimited adjustments and servicing of your glasses. 24/7 telephone helpline In addition, for patients who use contact lenses the following are included:Up to two contact lens checks per year 10% - 25% discount on solutions 10% - 25% discount on contact lenses

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Medical and OCT

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Medical and OCT

Opticians are often regarded as shop-keepers that sell glasses and contact lenses. This is far from accurate in a large number of practices.I have spent many years in formal education and have to maintain my knowledge by accreditation. My whole working week is dedicated to the health of my patient's eyes.It is the case that what constitutes an eye examination can vary widely from Optician to Optician. I believe that my patients deserve the most comprehensive eye examination possible and to aid me in bringing this to reality I have invested widely in the very latest instrumentation such as OCT.Personal care is also paramount in my practice and a caring, helpful atmosphere pervades, cementing the view that I care about your vision and eye health.I would ask you to allow me to examine your eyes - you will then see the difference!Optical Coherence TomographyThe use of OCT in optician practices is still extremely rare with only a handful of instruments in the UK. Many hospitals have yet to embrace this stunning new technology which advances the practice of optometry by a decade.On the basis that I will invest in new technology that benefits my patients I took delivery of my OCT instrumentation in December 2008 and the positive effects for my patients have exceeded my wildest expectations.My eye examinations now include OCT which is able to elucidate early stages of many conditions, most of which are now treatable. It also allows me to monitor conditions against time and therefore to evaluate treatment regimes. This technology is rather like ultrasound but uses light at 840nm. The images obtained are similar to the above. It’s rather like being able to look at a piece of saturated plywood from the side – we can see the bumps and holes whereas looking at a flat sheet would not show these abnormalities.

Dispensing

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Frame & Lens Dispensing - As important as dispensing your medicinesThis is the most important part in choosing the correct frames and lenses for you. It is not just ‘pick a frame and put some plastic lenses in it’, there is so much more to the science of eye wear.We take pride in having an excellent selection of frames and sunglasses to suit all faces, lifestyles and budgets. Therefore we give you as much help as you require to get the most suitable ones for you. We can order them in especially for you and can even have bespoke frames made that are totally unique.We also understand the importance of getting the correct lenses to give you optimum vision. After discussing what you need from you glasses or sunglasses, we will recommend the correct lenses and take the right measurements to give you the best vision possible.

Laser Surgery

Laser Eye Surgery

Laser surgery is an alternative way of treating short-sightedness (myopia), astigmatism and long-sightedness (hyperopia).

At Hammond and Dummer our commitment to provide the highest standard of clinical care and service at all times, means that we refer our surgery patients to one of the leading UK surgeons in this very specialized field.

Mr Sunil Shah FRCSE, FRCOphth is a highly regarded Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon and President of the British Society for Refractive Surgery. He has been performing refractive surgery since 1994 during which time he has personally performed successful Excimer Laser Surgery for more than 1200 patients.

If you are interested in discovering more about laser surgery contact Hammond & Dummer for an initial optometrist’s consultation at which we can explain the different procedures and see what you can expect from surgery.

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Corporate

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How to Book Your Eye Examination
The Eye Examination
Contact Lens Care
Eye Care Programme
Medical and OCT
Dispensing
Laser Surgery
Corporate

About

About Hammond & Dummer

Who/What is Hammond & Dummer?A lot of my patients have asked me whether there are other branches of H&D or alternatively is the practice a franchise. No, my practice is the only independent optician in Central Milton Keynes. Hammond and Dummer is my practice, no franchises or large multinational companies in the background holding shares and directing the business; it is just my husband and me.Kathy Hammond and Marilyn Dummer originally started the business and I worked in the practise as a locum. I broke open the piggy bank and sold my husband into slavery and H&D became my practise in 2004.It is my passion and delight to be able to offer my patients the best possible service, glasses, sunnies and contact lenses bar none. I strive to give you an unparalleled experience and aim to be totally different to all other opticians. I work in the practice every day and I am always available to see my patients.If you have never been to H&D please pop in for a cup of coffee and a chat - we are always here to help you. Please come and see how different we are.

Practice Photo Gallery

The Professionals

Claire and the girls MEET MY COLLEAGUES:BelindaBubbly Belinda is a highly experienced and fully qualified dispensing optician. The epitomy of style she blends superb technical knowledge with a flair for fitting frames to faces.DotWonderful with patients especially children Dot has unrivaled levels of patience and care. A great work colleague and my right hand woman when I need an expert to pre-screen patients.JenJen is another great dispensing optician with huge experience combined with a unique dress sense. Jen's the person for the Cartier frames - up to date, modern and with that wow factor.ValerieIs an asset to my practice with a wonderful Russian acent. Huge sense of humour, stylish and a extrovert personality. Everyone has a warm welcome from Valerie and she makes the best cuppa in the practice.JenniIs the smiling new face on reception. With bags of style and a a personality to match. It is a real asset to have Jenni working in my practice and I am sure all patients will agree.
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ABOUT ME - A short biography:Since early childhood my eyesight has been poor, so I know first-hand the advantages of proper and professional ophthalmic advice and application. I know what it means to wear glasses and contact lenses. Being able to give help to those whose eyesight, like mine was less than 20:20 has been my passion from an early age, and led me to optometry as a career. I studied at the University of Bradford near to my grandparents in Leeds. It was a great time and I learned to love curry. As a student I knew where to get the best curry in town for under £3.I worked in Chesterfield for my pre-registration year and then gave into my wanderlust and went travelling. Starting in India and ascending Everest to base camp I went to Japan for a year before heading home via Australasia and the USA. I was away for three years before returning home to Dunstable.I went on to postgraduate study in London before gaining hospital experience locally. For a time I worked in independent practices within a radius of twenty miles from Milton Keynes as a locum before buying H&D in 2004.I am chairman of the Milton Keynes sub commitee of the Buckinghamshire Local Optical Committee. I have a special interest in children's eye care and I continue to study. I will be able to prescribe opthalmic drugs after my final exam next year.I am married to Bob and have two children, Hannah and Henry, and a stepson, Sam. We all live here in Milton Keynes and the kids go to school at Oakgrove and Newport Pagnell. We love living and working in the same town and enjoy the community and environment of MK.
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Practice Photo Gallery

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News and Information

News & Information

Contact Form

Contact Information

Lenses

The right lenses are essential to improving your sight. At Hammond & Dummer we combine the best diagnostic tests with the latest technology to ensure the lenses we prescribe are the best for your eyes. Today’s lenses are visibly advanced – high quality, thin, lightweight, and tough and guaranteed for two years. We deal directly with the leading manufacturers like Rodenstock, Nikon, Essilor and Zeiss to achieve the maximum results for your sight. I can assure you that whether you want single or progressive vision lenses, as a client of Hammond & Dummer, you have access to the very latest technological advances. No longer does your lifestyle or lens prescription restrict your choice. Whether rimless or framed, today’s lenses can be photochromic, anti-reflective, water-repellent or anti-scratch. Whether glasses for sport or the boardroom, watching television or presentation we can tailor them to your exact requirements. At Hammond & Dummer, I ensure you get the best for your eyes, your style and your lifestyle. Thinner and LighterAre you always aware of the weight of your glasses on your nose? Are your glasses thick in the centre or at the edges? There is a solution.Lens thickness is determined by its refractive index, the higher the index, the thinner the lenses will generally be. Normal plastic has an index of 1.5, there are plastic lenses with an index of 1.74 and glass lenses can go up to 1.9.At Hammond and Dummer we look at your prescription and discuss with you the best lenses to suit you. Be assured that we will find you the thinnest lens possible - gone are the days when patients with a high prescription had to wear lenses like the bottom of a bottle! Coatings Normal spectacle lenses reflect a significant percentage of the light that hits them. This means that you lose definition of what you are looking at. The best anti-reflection coatings on lenses allow 99.99% of all light to go through the lens so that what you are looking at becomes crisper and clearer. It also means that people looking at you can see your eyes clearer through the glasses.At Hammond and Dummer we combine the anti-reflection coating with a scratch resistant coating to prevent the little day to day scratches that can occur. With more modern technology easy clean coatings that do not show up marks are included in the coatings.We have found that the superlative qualities of the Rodenstock coatings surpass anything else on the market. We are happy to fully recommend Rodenstock products. VarifocalsVarifocal lenses are used when you have a different prescription to allow you to see in the distance compared with the prescription you need for close tasks such as reading.Varifocals give you distance vision at the top of the lens, and as you look down through the lens you can focus on closer things; your reading prescription will be at the bottom of the lens. They have a variable focus through the lens which means that they do not have the line that is on bifocal lenses, this means that they look exactly like normal lenses.The old adage of 'you get what you pay for' is certainly true for varifocal lenses. You may have seen some people with varifocals nod and sway their head in order to focus. This tiring and uncomfortable movement can be eliminated by the use of a good quality lens. The field of view is larger on a better lens so you move your head less. My staff will advise you as to the best type to suit your needs and will make sure that you get the most from your lenses. The quality of the lens and the measurements and adjustments are vital to good sight and varifocal tolerance.Patients tell me that our lenses are far superior to others they have used from other opticians. They have been intolerant and now they wouldn't wear anything else. Prescription SunglassesEver wanted to have designer sunglasses but need a prescription? It is now possible to have the look and be able to see! Many modern sunglasses are suitable to have prescription lenses in them. There are modern lens materials so they can be also thinner and lighter too. Polarised lenses can also be most to most prescriptions. Varifocal lenses will also help you see where you are going as well as being able to read in sunlight. New Nikon lenses have been designed with curves in mind which follow the shape of the frame and give you optimum vision.OccupationalUsing the computer is part of everyday life. If you have a different prescription for distance, reading and the computer your vision may be compromised. Varifocal lenses often mean that you have to raise your head in order to focus on the computer screen. This can lead to neck problems which I’m sure you wouldn’t want. There is a great solution which means that you do not have to have separate pairs of reading and computer glasses – on off all day long is not a great solution either.Occupational lenses allow you to see the computer screen clearly through the top of the lens and your close work through the bottom of the lens. This maintains natural head posture and no more bad backs.

Contact Lenses

Contact lenses bring a whole new perspective to anyone who doesn't want to wear glasses but needs corrective lenses. As an optometrist and contact lens wearer, I know the right care for your eyes is essential. Wrongly fitting lenses can cause damage but the right fit is wonderful to wear. Lenses must be tailored to both your lifestyle and your eyes so we help you make the right choice from disposable, extended wear, daily, gas permeable, single or multi focal or toric (for astigmatism). Everyone can wear contact lenses. Whether you want them for going clubbing or for the golf club, it is important to go to a professional to get your contact lenses. You need to see an expert for an initial consultation followed by 6 monthly checks. In between times we can post you your lenses and solutions to make your life easier.DailyDaily lenses are the lenses that you wear for a day and then throw away. This means that they are the healthiest lens to wear as they are always clean and free from chemicals when you place them on your eyes. They are also the most convenient form of wearing lenses as there is no cleaning and storing of them when you take them out – you just throw them in the bin!There are many daily lenses available now, ones that correct astigmatism (see toric), ones that correct long distance vision as well as reading vision (see progressives) and ones made from silicon hydrogel material that give your eyes 5 times more oxygen than normal lenses and so can be worn all day long, every day, they also contain less water and so dry out less making them the most comfortable lenses around.MonthlyMonthly lenses are the ones that you start wearing at the beginning of the month and throw away at the end of the month. By changing contact lenses regularly you are reducing the risk of any complications to do with old, dirty lenses. Usually you need to clean the lenses and store them in the correct solution overnight before using them again. There are some lenses that can be worn overnight for up to a month without removing them. They come in practically all parameters to correct nearly all prescriptions. There are toric lenses, multifocal lenses and even multifocal toric lenses. Materials include moisture rich and also silicon hydrogel giving your eyes more oxygen and more comfort due to the reduced water content.ToricThese lenses correct astigmatism. Astigmatism is where you have 2 different prescriptions in different directions. If you think about a football and a rugby ball; a football has the same curve all around and therefore the same ‘prescription’, a rugby ball, however, has different curves in different directions giving rise to different ‘prescriptions’. So if you have astigmatism, your eyes are more ‘rugby ball’ shaped. In glasses this is not a problem as the correction is easily incorporated into the spectacle lens, with contact lenses it means that the lens has to have different powers and it has to be made stable so that it does not rotate on your eye.There are now many toric lenses to correct most amounts of astigmatism. We can get daily lenses (see dailies), monthly lenses (see monthlies) and even 3 monthly lenses for very complicated prescriptions. There are even multifocal toric lenses (see Progressives). Apart from the daily and toric lenses, we can get silicon hydrogel lenses to giving you the advantage of 5 times more oxygen and even more comfortable lenses due to the reduced water content.ProgresivePresbyopia is when we start finding that our arms are not long enough to read and we need a different prescription to read compared with what we need to see at a distance. There has been a great improvement in the technology to combine both distance and near prescriptions in a contact lens. It works on concentric rings, and your brain receives 2 images, one distance and one near, it then can work out which it needs to useThese lenses are available as a daily lens (see dailies), as a monthly lens (see monthlies) in silicon hydrogel material giving 5 times more oxygen and great comfort, and can even correct astigmatism (see toric).These mean that you don’t have to compromise by wearing reading glasses over your distance contact lenses.

Sunglasses

I believe that I stock the best range of exclusive and designer sunglasses in the wider Milton Keynes area. With over 600 pairs in stock we believe that we have the best range in the region. We are also able to obtain a full range of prescription ski and swimming gogglesThe lastest collections from the best designers in the world. Handmade from some of the best jewellers in Europe; Tiffany and Cartier through to the highest fashion of the French and Italian fashion houses.Ultra violet light causes changes in our skin. From premature aging to the most serious conditions such as malignant melanoma, the skin needs constant protection from sunlight, usually by the use of creams and clothing. The outside and inside of the eye are also made from epithelium and this also needs protection from UV light. Sunglass lenses offering protection from UV rays are highly desirable and will help prevent premature aging of the eye warding off such conditions as cataracts and macular degeneration. Choice of sunglasses is important to protect the eyes and they are also a fashion item. At Hammond and Dummer we are delighted to offer you the best advice in choosing the appropriate sunglasses. Should children wear sunglasses? Young and developing eyes need careful nurturing allowing our children to see perfectly in adult life. All parents are aware that they should cover up the skin of their children with high factor creams and, at times, all over bathing suits but few consider the harmful effects of sunlight on young eyes. We would recommend UV protection sunglasses for all children. It is interesting to note that virtually 100% of children in Australia regularly wear sunglasses. Can I fit prescription lenses to sunglasses? Almost all sunglasses can be fitted with prescription lenses save for the frames that have very large wrap-around lenses. The technology is not available for these at present. We have the expertise to match the tints and colour of the original sunglasses therefore, although the lenses are prescription, the sunglasses look exactly as the original.

Frames

What is a designer Frame?Everything we use is designed. What's implied by some is that in some way a product is better when the word 'designer' is used. I believe this is confusing and misleading.As in life there are good and bad designers and the judgement by us as to what is good and bad is subjective.As regards the frames I stock my over-riding concern is quality of the product - the materials used, the superb manufacturing processes and the long-life and comfort of the frame.Maunufacturers such as Chanel, Cartier, Mont Blanc are by-words for the quality I seek. These frames will last - in some cases- a lifetime, will be a pleasure to wear and bring admiring glances from friends, family and colleagues.

Sports Eyewear