Seeing Clearly : Wendy Bremner on the vision behind Belmont Optical
I’ve lived in Aberdeen since I was five years old, having originally moved from Glasgow. I returned to the city to study Optometry at Glasgow Caledonian University. At the time it seemed like a good idea, partly because of fellow optometrists in the family. As it turns out, it was a very good idea indeed.
I moved back to The Granite City having completed my pre-registration year and went on to get married and have three children. Of course, we added a dog to the chaos! As my children have grown, so has my career. I got the opportunity to see patients in a hospital setting whilst studying for Independent Prescribing. This qualification means I can support patients in managing acute eye conditions, and it has brought so much variety to my job over the years.
When the opportunity to buy a business came up, I couldn’t let it pass me by. I swapped hospital life for learning the ropes as the very proud owner of Belmont Optical, formerly Jenson & Ledingham. I feel so lucky to be at the helm of the oldest locally established opticians in Aberdeen. It was founded in 1923, that feels rather special.
The weight of history can never be forgotten, but it’s also good to move with the times. Having gained the trust of the loyal clientele, rebranding has enabled us to modernise the practice. It feels like who we are and what we do is summed up through Belmont Optical.
Every day is different in community practice; every patient has different needs and wants. Whether that’s treating eye conditions or choosing funky frames, there’s always time to help people. Running a business comes with plenty of challenges, and my day doesn’t always go smoothly. I’m yet to find a work/life balance, but I feel very lucky to love what I do. I’m so grateful to our many loyal customers, and I love getting to know people. I go out of my way to talk to our customers, it’s always interesting to find out about their lives. It costs nothing to be kind and to help people.
Get regular eye-checks, even if you feel there’s nothing wrong. Alongside an NHS eye test every two years, I’d recommend an OCT scan, which is none invasive and looks deeper into the structure of your eye. We all know the importance of wearing suncream, don’t forget to protect your eyes from harmful UV light. You only get one pair of eyes, look after them.