We are so proud to share that our very own Poonam Shah has been featured as this month’s Great Bedfordian by @bedfordindependent! 

 

As the owner and optometrist of Humphriss & Burgess, Poonam brings warmth, expertise, and a deep love for the Bedford community to everything she does—helping Bedfordians see more clearly, one eye test at a time. 

 

Curious about her favourite local spots, the town’s hidden gems, and why the river holds a special place in her heart? 

 

Read the full feature here: https://www.bedfordindependent.co.uk/great-bedfordian-poonam-shah/ 

We’re thrilled to unveil the newly refreshed look of Humphriss and Burgess, right here in the heart of Bedford’s town centre! As an independent optician, we’re dedicated to providing a welcoming, personal experience that feels just as unique as the care we offer. 

 

Led by Poonam Shah, our owner and resident optician, we focus on building genuine connections with our patients. Poonam personally handles every eye examination and dispensing, ensuring continuity and a familiar face at each visit. Whether you’re coming in for a routine eye check, specialist Colourimetry services for visual stress, or simply to see our refreshed space, you’ll receive tailored, attentive care from start to finish. 

 

Ready to book your next eye exam? Give us a call on 01234 354343. We look forward to welcoming you! 

 

Thanks to Cre-8-Finishes for the exterior painting and Signs Express for the amazing new signage! 

More and more people are taking to wearing sunglasses during sport, and for three main reasons: Firstly, to reduce the health risks caused by exposing your eyes to direct sunlight. Secondly, because high-quality sports sunglasses can radically improve performance. And thirdly, because they look amazing. 

 

What's the difference between normal sunglasses and sports sunglasses?  

 

Normal sunglasses are fine if you're just walking around town or lying on a beach, but when you're engaged in a rigorous sporting activity, you need to make sure that the sunglasses you wear have been specifically designed to withstand the extra pressures exerted on them. As you will have noticed if you've ever played any sports wearing normal sunglasses, as soon as your body starts to emit higher quantities of heat and sweat, the lenses tend to mist over and the glasses themselves begin to slide down your face and can very easily come off. Sports glasses, however, are designed with these conditions in mind and have rubber grips at the bridge of the nose to ward off slippage. Sports sunglasses also almost always come equipped with ventilation holes in the frames and the lenses, which allow for a much cooler experience and eliminate the possibility of misting and fogging. 

As the principal Optometrist at Humphriss and Burgess, I have had to stop conducting any routine eye examinations and have only been working remotely providing essential eye care during this crisis. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how my patients, new and old, are coping, and how on earth things are going to be in the vision world, once things begin to go back to ‘normal’. 

 

 

Good vision and healthy eyes help you perform well, at home, at work, whilst driving, and in Lockdown. The changing digital world has put a greater demand on our eyes. 

It is recommended that healthy eyes are checked by an Optometrist every 2 years (more often for children, or adults in certain instances, for example, if they have a family history of Glaucoma or are Diabetic, to name a few). 

 

 

But of course, during this time, this isn’t possible. Its probably one of the last things on your mind, and may not even be a top priority once things start to resemble normality.