Acep France : Why employing digital precision gives your eyecare its edge

A new made-to-measure digital service from Specsavers sets a new benchmark for innovation in customer eyecare

Digital Precision Eyecare: the new Specsavers service is about much more than simply comfort. Photograph: Thinkstock

Specsavers never stop innovating. No sooner has their marketing campaign 'should have gone to Specsavers' become a national catchphrase than they're back to the science behind their brand. With the launch of a new digital service they're setting out to raise the stakes in eyecare once again, reinforcing their position as a superior eyecare company. Evolving with our growing reliance on digital applications, and the convenience with which they afford our lives, this new service, Digital Precision Eyecare, is another layer to the great customer service and focus on healthcare that defines the company.

What is it? Well it's not another one of those 'digital solution' sounding gimmicks. It works. It's a process that makes your trip to Specsavers a lot more enjoyable and time efficient, ensuring you walk away with a pair of made-to-measure glasses that fit like a glove . . . or glove-like glasses, to be precise. But it's not just about comfort.

After you've had your eye test, endured those puffs of air to the eye and picked the frames that suit you best, the Digital Precision Eyecare service comes into play. First, the optician places a frame reference device (or as it's fondly known in-store, Fred) on top of your glasses and then, using a tablet, they'll take a photograph. After this the software crunches the relevant numbers.

Not so long ago this would have involved something as archaic as hand-held rulers but now, guaranteeing far more precision (hence the name), Specsavers' software captures all of the required measurements - there are fourteen in total - in a matter of seconds. With no guesswork needed, and no room for human error, this technology is said to have already had a significant impact on eyecare, raising the standards to levels that, heretofore, have not been seen.

Eager to find out more, we visited Liffey Valley Dublin's brand new Specsavers to try it out. It was a great experience, with their expert, scientific, eyecare-specific language - such as your 'pantoscopic tilt' - translated in a way that makes perfect sense and becomes incredibly relevent to customers. The digital precision service tackles much more than simply comfort. All of the measurements taken impact significantly on your lenses, and if they're not made to measure uniquely for you, you won't get the full benefit. You could get headaches, for example, or you might put your eyes through undue strain. In short, it's a hassle you could certainly do without.

Once you've had your measurements taken care of, you also have the far more interactive experience of choosing your lens options and lens extras which, for most of us, can be a daunting world of expensive-sounding add-ons. Here Specsavers are responding to the reality that while we all need and want individual eyecare, we're not experts, and therefore don't know what it is we want and need.

The Digital Precision Eyecare service sets out to solve that problem. When it comes to lens thickness, for example, with their in-store tablets you can see a full 360-degree simulation of just how thick they will be in reality, meaning you can choose to have them slimmed down, if that suits you better. Where words like 'polarising' and 'ultraclear' may mean little to you as you read this piece, with their intelligent software you can see exactly how lens types can differ so that a) you know exactly what you're signing up for and b) you make an informed decision to suit your needs.

For example, if you spend a lot of time driving or looking at a computer screen, the UltraClear add-on does away with unwanted reflections or glare, and if you find yourself out and about quite often, its water-repellent properties will deal with the rain so that you don't have to (after all, we are in Ireland).

On top of all of this clever functionality and scientific thinking, it's also quite a cool tool to use, and sure to bring out the inquisitive child in you. And if you've been struggling to get your children on board with their own eyecare needs, this digital experience will certainly make it more fun for them.

All in all, it's a timely service that makes your trip to the optician's pleasant and hassle-free. For innovative eyecare that's unparalleled (you won't find this technology in other eyecare specialists) it's true what they say; you really should have gone to Specsavers. Book your next eye test at Specsavers and try the Digital Precision Eyecare for yourself.

For more see specsavers.ie