For the King's Cross Eye Clinic (KCEC), the first year in business has certainly been one to celebrate. Within six months of opening its doors - in July 2006 - the practice had 900 patients registered, and this number is steadily growing. And, at this year's Optician Awards, the practice was shortlisted for no less than three awards, eventually winning two: Applied Spectacle Technology Practice of the Year and Software Practice of the Year.
In the category of Applied Spectacle Technology, sponsored by Optovision, it was the broad range of frame and lens suppliers, plus the on-site glazing facilities which drew the praise from the judging panel.
Owner and optometrist Jonathan Cohen takes pride in being able to provide each patient with the best possible spectacles within their budget. The range is indeed vast, with more than 1,000 spectacle and sunglass frames in stock. And quality is of utmost importance - even the cheapest frames for NHS patients are of good quality Italian design, while at the other end of the spectrum handmade frames are crafted from precious metals.
And, if an appropriate frame cannot be found in store, the KCEC team is happy for customers to order from one of the practice's many catalogues. The team also makes good use of its digital photography equipment - photographs of patients wearing their favourite models can be taken and compared, or even emailed to patients if they wish.
In addition to the usual frames, Cohen has made efforts to stock specialised sports eyewear. Prescription masks and goggles for sports such as squash, swimming or skiing are available, as well as eyewear for more unusual pursuits such as shooting or snooker.
'We will always strive to find a product to suit the patient's requirements, no matter how obscure, even if we have to import it from foreign suppliers,' Cohen says.
A similar approach is taken in relation to lenses - the clinic has accounts with 11 leading lens manufacturers, including Nikon, Essilor, Zeiss and Seiko.
The broad range of manufacturers means patients have more choice over the type and price of the lens they ultimately choose. For patients with high prescriptions, frames are routinely scanned or traced to gain thickness comparisons and price quotations for a variety of lenses from different suppliers. By using such a vast range of suppliers, the clinic is able to offer budget and premium options on most lenses.
Most of the frames - including rimless and supra designs - are glazed in house by dispensing optician Parminder Bhachu. On rimless and supra design frames, patients are given an opportunity to change the shape of their lenses, allowing them to further tailor the frames to their taste.
And, given Bhachu's background in frame design - he was a consultant on the 2005 Dolce & Gabbana eyewear collection - he is also able to give advice on bespoke frames. Spectacle servicing, polishing, sonic cleaning, repairs and adjustments are also offered on a 'while you wait' basis at the practice, and a one-hour glazing service has also been made available for some spectacle frames.
According to the judges, the KCEC is a 'practice with a very large suppliers' base, giving it access to a wider range of products than would be the norm'. This allows the team not only to match up the patient with the best product, but also to supply it at a good price. The judges felt that this - alongside other services such as one-hour glazing - demonstrated a high commitment to patients.
Speaking about the award, Cohen said it was great to win such an accolade, and he and his team were 'delighted'.