22 October 2026
The team at Eyewise Opticians in Hillingdon, Uxbridge, are looking back on three decades of serving their local community as the practice approaches its 30th anniversary.
Harsh Shah, optometrist and director of Eyewise Opticians, explained that the opportunity arose for him to take on the practice in December 1996.
“Since then, I’ve gradually built up the practice in the way I would like to – providing good, high-quality care and products, and building relationships with the local customer base,” he said.
“Instrumental to that is building a great team,” Shah told OT, adding: “I’m very fortunate that I have wonderful people I work with. They help to forge those relationships with patients, and with the community at large.”
The strength of those relationships becomes clear when patients move away, “but still travel – sometimes hundreds of miles – just to come and see us for their eye care,” Shah explained.
“That is lovely, when you know you have made a difference to somebody’s life, such that they don’t want to part company even if they have moved away,” he said.
The practice plays a key role in the community, built on those relationships.
Shah said: “I think we’re the go-to place sometimes when people want to offload a bit of stress. They are almost like family members.”
“We are known locally, so when people come to us, they know what they are getting. There is an element of trust,” he explained, adding that this reassures patients and creates a confidence in the practice.
Fundraising initiatives have also been a key part in how the practice has engaged with the community, with support for charities such as Guides Dogs for the Blind and Alzheimer’s Charity.
Shah has taken on challenges from 10Ks and half-marathons to trekking to the Everest base camp.
Embracing the challenge
Shah had been looking to establish his own practice for around three years when the opportunity arose to take on Eyewise Opticians. He had previously worked in the Uxbridge area and so already had a good understanding of the local patient base.
Reflecting on his journey at the helm of the practice, he shared how challenging it can be to make the jump from optometrist to business owner.
“The steepest learning curve was how to run a business, how to manage people and all the HR – I’m still learning 30 years later, but it is so enjoyable,” he said.
Shah noted: “The challenge in a difficult world where the market share of independents has been dropping so much is that you have got to innovate and differentiate. But that is a challenge I relish.”
This mentality spurs the practice on, with Shah telling OT: “If you can look at every difficult situation as an opportunity to change or do something different – and when you have a good team of staff and a culture where everybody is happy to contribute – then sometimes a great idea comes up and we go with it. That’s how the practice has evolved over the years.”
Renewed purpose
As for many practices, the COVID-19 pandemic brought a change in the way the practice operated and an opportunity to review processes.
Shah said: “It gave me room and time to think about why I am doing what I’m doing in terms of the business. It gave me a renewed purpose about exactly what I was trying to achieve.”
The pandemic meant a restructuring of the practice team and provided Shah the confidence to employ a new team member to allow him to step away from day-to-day clinics and spend more time on the growing business.
In a key change for Eyewise Opticians, the practice moved away from a mixed NHS and private model, to a fully private operation.
Shah explained: “I clarified the message to the public in terms of what we stand for and how we do business, from the products to the care that we give them.”
The practice has now been running as a fully private business for four years.
Shah said that he now feels patients judge the practice on a “level playing field” with other businesses.
“If it means you have to raise your standards to justify why everybody should pay for your care and time, then why not? I feel there is more respect for what we do as a profession from the customers who come to see us,” he said.
Operationally, the change has made running the business more straightforward and clearer.
“If it’s clear, then it’s easier to make decisions, which is easier for clients,” Shah said.
The family juggle
Another major change that stands out to Shah from the 30 years of the practice, was the arrival of his son 24 years ago.
“For a few years I ran the business alongside my wife, and it was building very well. But being a parent for the first time brought a new perspective to so many aspects of – not just running the business, but balancing business with family life,” he said.
Though a juggle, family life gave Shah a break from the stress of business, as well as a new understanding of what the families amongst the practice’s patient base were experiencing.
Their journey as a family also strengthened connections with patients and the local community.
Shah said: “There are still so many clients who ask about my son because they were there when he was born. They remind me of the days when I used to bring the little one into practice and they would play with him. It’s a lovely moment, and it opened my eyes to a lot more.”
An opportunity to thrive
Three decades on, Shah said: “I look around and think that I am ever so grateful for how independent optometry has given me the opportunity to further myself as an optometrist and a business owner, and where the people who are employed here have had an opportunity to develop themselves and thrive.”
He is particularly grateful for the loyalty and friendliness of the patients. Shah explained: “They are part of our Eyewise family now and they want us to do well. They know it is very harsh out there in the business world and I have so many patients who ask how we are doing.”
As the practice prepares to celebrate its anniversary, Shah looked back: “I’m grateful. I’m happy. I’m proud of what I’ve done, and thankful that I’m still enjoying what I’m doing.”
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