Specsavers was founded at a time when high prices for optical care and limited choice were the norm. Company founders, Doug and Mary Perkins, revolutionised the industry with their innovative concept of affordable, fashionable eyecare for everyone.
Joint venture partnership
Doug and Mary also pioneered the joint venture partnership model, which ensures all Specsavers opticians and audiologists can concentrates on what they do best – providing expert eye and hearing care to their customers.
Each store is part-owned and managed by its partners, who are shareholders of their own businesses. They are supported by key specialists in support offices who provides a range of services such as marketing, accounting, IT and wholesaling, among others.
Working with the NHS
We are committed to providing access to care for all those who need it and are proud of our role as the leading provider of NHS eye and hearing health services. NHS eye care is available in all of our stores, which deliver more half of all NHS eye tests and glasses dispenses in the UK. Many of our stores offer a range of additional NHS services including hearing care, glaucoma services, and urgent care for minor injuries or illnesses of the eye.
The NHS covers the cost of sight tests and contributes to the cost of glasses for anyone who qualifies. This means the NHS will cover the full cost of an eye test with Specsavers for anyone who qualifies (and for everyone in Scotland). In some cases the NHS will also provide an optical voucher towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses.
