Rocket man

There are a number of well-known faces whose ‘looks’ are inexorably intertwined with the spectacles they wear.

And, to be fair, this rule does not apply to glasses-wearers exclusively. I am reminded of my dad, who, when he shaved off the mustache he’d worn throughout my childhood, became unrecognisable to family members. (We made him grow it back.)

Featuring high on the list of famous spectacles wearers must be Sir Elton John. Seeing the Rocket Man in action at Camden’s Roundhouse as part of the iTunes festival earlier this week, I was struck not only by the shades he was sporting on stage, but also the supporting visuals being projected during the show, which used imagery of the previous frames Sir Elton had worn through the decades.

As Oliver Goldsmith tells OT in a recent interview, it is easy to forget how far we have come from the prescription NHS frames of yore – although Jarvis Cocker and co did a great job at bringing that look back into vogue.

This weekend, Paris will be hosting one of optics’ biggest celebrations of the strength and depth in eyewear today. The OT team has their Eurostar tickets booked, and will be on the prowl for the latest and best products on offer.

We also would like to hear your views on the event. Please get in touch if you or a member of the practice team makes a discovery worth sharing.

Closer to home, National Eye Health Week (NEHW) kicked off on Monday. As the Optical Confederation’s chair, Chris Hunt, notes, NEHW is one of the sector's “great successes, with everyone working together to help the public and save sight.”

OT wishes those who are supporting the campaign the best of luck.