Specsavers has launched its Ask the Expert Facebook group which is designed to give people access to professionals who can answer questions about their general eye and hearing health concerns during Lockdown. Since it launched on 2 April more than 1,000 members have joined, and hundreds of questions have been answered by a roster of 30 Specsavers optometrists and audiologists who are available in real-time for 13 hours a day, seven days a week.
Free for anyone to join, all questions asked by the public are answered within two hours between 9 am to 10 pm. The team are on-hand to provide support to individuals who need advice about non-urgent vision and hearing issues too and answer any queries regarding frames, contact lenses and hearing aid devices.
Facebook says: ‘Nearly 2 million people in the UK have now joined more than 2,000 local COVID-19 community support groups on Facebook since the beginning of April and it’s so exciting to see Specsavers being innovative on our platforms in offering support and providing a key service to people across the country at this time.’
Specsavers says that its success demonstrates how important good sight and hearing is when it comes to fulfilling simple, everyday tasks. Giles Edmonds, Specsavers’ clinical director, comments: ‘It’s early days, but already we can see the difference we are making to people’s lives.
‘We are here not only for serious cases. People have contacted us because they are experiencing discomfort or frustrating problems during Lockdown and need our advice. One lady contacted us about blurred vision and tired eyes through Ask The Expert and by simply offering screen-time tips including the 20-20-20 rule1, we made enough of an impact for her to contact us to and share it had made a huge difference.’
Specsavers has also introduced a free nationwide video and phone consultation service – Specsavers RemoteCare – for people who are looking for private consultation from the comfort and safety of their home. It’s designed to cover various concerns, ranging from eye health and changes in the quality of sight, to contact lens aftercare and audiology health and aftercare.
Specsavers will continue to offer to Ask The Expert and RemoteCare post Lockdown for as long as they are useful to people who need access to these services.
To join Ask The Expert, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/SpecsaversAskTheExpert.
For more information about eye and hearing health and to access the RemoteCare service, visit www.specsavers.co.uk.
You can join us on our social media pages, follow us on Facebook or Twitter and keep up to date with whats going on in South Devon.
Got a news story, blog or press release that you’d like to share or want to advertise with us? Contact us
