Our Winchester branch was delighted to become Cartier frame stockists recently and the range has already attracted a lot of attention. Famous for their high quality, exceeding standards with noble finishes such as electroplating and lacquering.

Cartier glasses are hand-finished with 24 carat gold, palladium, platin, ruthenium and high-quality acetates. This sophisticated design is then finished with Cartier's contemporary stylising using exposed screws, godron decorative motifs & buffalo horn sides.

Complementing the rest of our luxury designer ranges, a trip to our Winchester branch to see our Cartier collection and spend some time having a colour and style appointment to make sure you select the most flattering hue and shape for your face will be a worthwhile visit. Our dispensing team are all trained to give you bespoke advice, and whilst you can be assured of personalised service at all our branches, Cartier is currently only available at Winchester.

1984 was the year of Ghostbusters, Gremlins, and The Karate Kid and George Michael, Stevie Wonder and Band Aid were all top of the pops.

It was an important year for Rawlings as our Chandlers Ford branch opened its doors! To mark the occasion, we held a celebratory 40th anniversary event in September.

The afternoon tea party raising funds for a local charity, Southampton Sight, was a great success with a raffle and a children’s ‘Design-a-Glasses’ colouring competition raising £750. The Deputy Mayor was guest of honour with staff past and present, and many loyal patients popping in to enjoy the event.

Chandlers Ford branch manager Inna Rapatskaya, who volunteers for the charity, said “I was delighted to be able to support this charity at our 40th anniversary event. Southampton Sight’s motto is “Sight loss is not life loss” and by promoting independence, life skills and social inclusion for the people we help can really change their lives for the better. I would like to thank all the local businesses who donated prizes for our raffle for this important cause.”

Well done to Inna and her team at Chandlers Ford - here's to our next 40 years!

You might be thinking about booking a hearing test but feeling apprehensive if you haven’t had it done before. Don’t worry, it’s a simple and straightforward process designed to make sure your hearing is still spot on.

Firstly, you’ll have a chat with our hearing aid audiologist. They’ll ask about your hearing, any concerns you might have, and your general health and any medications or family history of hearing problems.

Next, they’ll take a look inside your ears with a device called an otoscope. This helps them spot anything obvious like earwax buildup or signs of infection.

Then comes the main event— the hearing tests! You’ll put on some headphones listen to different beeps, tones, and words, and simply press a button or repeat what you hear. This helps us work out how well you’re hearing across different frequencies and in various situations.

After that, we will go over the results with you, explaining what everything means in plain English. If there’s anything to address, like hearing aids or further tests, they’ll chat with you about your options. If no additional help with hearing is required, we will tell you how long you should leave it before coming back for a recheck. This is likely to be 1-3 years depending on the readings taken.

Finally, you’ll leave knowing exactly where you stand with your hearing. It’s a great way to stay on top of your ear health, and it’s really straightforward. So, no stress—just better hearing awareness!

As the colder months roll in, the change in environment can affect your eyes. Here are some tips to help keep your eyes healthy and comfortable during autumn and winter.

If you experience dry eyes, use plenty of preservative -free lubricating drops, as central heating and open fires can worsen dryness. Consider using humidifiers on radiators or adding more plants to your home to maintain moisture levels. If your eyes are uncomfortable, you can book an appointment for a detailed check to get personal advice on which lubricants to use. As well as drops, ointments and hot compresses, the Eye Wand is a handy lid heating device available from all our branches which can help dry eye symptoms.

With shorter days, we get less Vitamin D from sunlight. The NHS recommends adults and children consider taking Vitamin D supplements from the end of September to April to support overall health, including eye health. Studies have shown that lower levels of Vitamin D can be implicated in dry eye as well as a multitude of other more general symptoms.

Screen time often increases in winter, so make sure both adults and children take regular breaks. Follow the “20-20-20” rule: every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look 20 feet away while blinking to avoid eyestrain and dryness.

It’s also important for children to continue to spend plenty of time outdoors, as increased indoor time is linked to the progression of short-sightedness (myopia). Encourage outdoor activities and limit screen time to support their eye health. Rawlings offer Myopia Management treatments including specialist soft contact lens, spectacle treatments and Ortho-Keratology – see our website for more information.

Finally, don’t forget your sunglasses. UV exposure is still significant in winter, especially with the low sun. Sunglasses, like those from Maui Jim, can reduce glare and protect your eyes from UV.

We’re here for you all year round – you can ring your local branch or book an appointment online at any time.

Driving demands good vision, especially in challenging conditions like low light or bad weather. Now it’s nearing the Autumn, and the darker evenings are drawing in, you may have noticed the nuisance of dazzling oncoming headlights or poor visibility.

It is important to ensure your glasses are fitted with your most up to date prescription with an unscratched surface and are kept clean in order to have the best vision. A clean windscreen and headlights are important not to forget as well! Specialist glasses lenses with an antireflective surface are available, such as Hoya EnRoute lenses, which are designed to enhance your driving experience and keep you safer on the road.

These lenses are specifically engineered to reduce glare and improve contrast, two factors that are crucial for clear vision while driving. They feature a surface that minimizes the dazzling glare that can be experienced from oncoming headlights and streetlights, making night driving less stressful and more secure. Additionally, they enhance contrast perception, allowing you to see road signs, pedestrians, and potential hazards with greater clarity. Moreover, Hoya EnRoute lenses provide a wide fields of vision, ensuring that you have a full, unobstructed view of the road.

These lenses are not just about improved vision—they're about enhancing your safety and confidence every time you get behind the wheel. Our dispensing teams will be happy to help you with all the time you need to make the best choice for optimum vision.

We love to receive your feedback, which is rewarding and allows us to continually improve.

Everyone who completes a review for our eyecare or hearing care services is entered into our quarterly draw. Mr. Driscoll and Mrs Cooper from Hedge End and Stockbridge branches respectively are the recent lucky winners!

If you would like to be in the chance of winning back the cost of your glasses, contact lenses of eye care up to the cost of £250, then just spend a few short minutes filling in a review by visiting our feedback page.

For more chances to win please feel free to review us on Facebook or tag us on Instagram – @rawlingsoptic.

We are so pleased to announce that all our branches are now collection points for this worthy charity.

The Children’s Hospital Pyjama appeal encourages people to donate new pyjamas for children who are in hospices, hospitals or Women's Refuges.

We will be collecting pyjamas up until Christmas and those collected before the end of November will be distributed during the festive period to brighten their Christmas. No child wants to be in a hospital, but if they have to be, they do not want to be wearing a hospital gown – especially on Christmas Day.

All children who are inpatients in our receiving hospitals, for whatever reason, will be gifted a brand-new pair of comfy pyjamas. December donations will be used throughout the year for children in need – the network of the charity’s co-ordinators ensure they are stored and used for children in refuges or hospitals who do not own pyjamas. Sadly, this is not a rare situation.

We hope all our friends and patients can donate to this worthy cause and drop some pyjamas into their nearest branch.