One size does not fit all

On page 29 of optician, May 29, I noticed an interesting table about the 'Public attitude to the supply of eye care and eyewear'. It showed that 58 per cent of respondents did not always shop around when choosing spectacles and contact lenses. Spectacle frame manufacturers who produce frames in only one size, have not yet told their customers (ie practitioners) why. Practitioners know that their 'customers' do not come in one size only. There can be only one reason for this myopic approach by frame manufacturers: the cost of tooling-up for other frame sizes. However, manufacturers have kept absolutely silent about this. Do they really fear having to charge another pound (or how much more? Please tell us!) when they supply spectacle frames in more than one size? The survey quoted above, indicates that the financial aspect is of little consequence: it also showed that 54 per cent of respondents did not consider price to be a more important factor than service. My interpretation is, that properly fitting spectacles are more important than having to pay a few pounds more. When will we receive a reply from our manufacturers and importers? Incidentally, I was very pleased to hear from one colleague that his first question to visiting frame company representatives is: 'Do your frames come in two bridge and two eye sizes?' If the answer is 'no', he shows them the door. That's what all of us ought to do. Henri Obstfeld City University London EC1V