Specsavers Borehamwood has recently invested in hospital-quality technology, which can help detect treatable eye conditions such as macular degeneration sooner.

The store in Shenley Road has invested in an optical coherence tomography (OCT) machine and viewing screens, in order to bring ultimate peace of mind to its customers.

The scan, which only takes a few seconds, allows an optician to look deeper into the eyes than ever before and it can help to detect glaucoma up to four years in advance.

Jessica Coulouras is Borehamwood’s first optical assistant to qualify through the apprenticeship scheme.

She said: "It’s so exciting to work with the new technology seen in an OCT machine. I don’t want to ever work without one - they’re able to identify problems far easier, like macular issues that can be helped with simple lifestyle changes around smoking or diet, or indeed far more serious issues such as glaucoma, where early detection is critical."

Ahthesamul Chowdhury, optometrist director at Specsavers Borehamwood, added: "This is such a difficult time for everyone but it is essential that we remain open to continue to provide care, especially for key workers and to help support our partners in the NHS to provide critical care where it is most needed.

"Our OCT installation is great news for customers, as we can use the latest technology to detect sight-threatening diseases earlier and in turn give us the best chance of safeguarding their eye health."

Specsavers Borehamwood says it has numerous safety measures in place, including restrictions on the number of customers allowed in store, social distancing, and bank card instead of cash payments, where possible. Specsavers’ colleagues use personal protective equipment (PPE) throughout the stores and frames are thoroughly sanitised before and after each use.

Customers are also asked to request an appointment in advance.