Marlborough Express - Weekend Express
Home, business where the heart is
Francis Hassan has found where he wants to be – and it should come as no surprise that it is in Blenheim, where he grew up.
He is proud to be with Matthews Eyewear Eyecare in his town of choice and those who entrust him with their vision are glad he did.
Francis studied optometry at Auckland University before accepting a job in Tasmania where he remained for four and a half years.
However, back in Blenheim with a wife and two children, he says there is no place he would rather be.
‘‘Blenheim is a great place to raise children and has a beautiful climate for enjoying the outdoors, he says.
‘‘The opportunity to become part of a fantastic business and getting involved in my local community were also huge draw cards for us.’’
Francis worked for Matthews in his final year of optometry school where he found he and the company shared the same philosophy.
‘‘We see the industry as not just being about selling glasses,’’ he says.
‘‘A thorough 40-minute eye exam helps detect disease of the eye, enabling early treatment or a timely referral for specialist care.
‘‘Looking into the eye also gives clues about what is happening within the rest of the body. High blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes are just some of the other health conditions a thorough eye exam can detect.’’
Francis and the team pride themselves on excellent service and top quality products.
He praises the quality and functionality of Carl Zeiss lenses which have been designed and manufactured in Germany for more than 100 years.
Much of what he sells is sourced in Germany, France and other parts of Europe where they take pride in items carrying their name.
‘‘We were very fortunate to gain access to handmade frames from France by Anne et Valentin in the last six months. They are among the most popular and fashionable frame designers in the world,’’ Francis says.
The business operates state-ofthe-art equipment like the Optical Coherence Tomographer (OCT), a laser scanner that examines a patient’s retina and optic nerve, facilitating early detection of eye diseases such as glaucoma, macular degeneration and other ocular diseases and disorders.
Not surprisingly, Francis’ refusal to compromise the quality of all that Matthews Eyewear Eyecare does has won him support from the town and the business is flourishing.
Every day provides Francis with the opportunity to meet those who are friends or acquaintances of his family which is not a small one. He is one of seven siblings.
‘‘My father was a GP and he has been in Blenheim for 40-odd years,’’ he says.
‘‘Dad saw the children of some of my clients and then saw their children. Our family has quite deep roots in Marlborough and I have been reacquainted with many people from my childhood.
Re-establishing himself in Blenheim has given him a strong sense of community and a desire to contribute to it in the best way he knows.
‘‘We are pairing up with schools to set up an education package for them,’’ he says.
‘‘At participating schools, we are seeing their new five-year-old entrants at no charge for an eye examination.’’
Accompanying the offer is what Francis calls the 20/20 deal – $20 off an eye examination and 20 per cent off the glasses to all students over the age of five at the participating school.
Other projects include visits to rural areas of Marlborough where for reasons of isolation or for work commitments, travelling to town is not easily managed.
‘‘We have offered to go to them, do eye tests and bring them a selection of frames from which they can choose,’’ he says.
For Francis, community service is a willing commitment to those among whom you live. The visual wellbeing of Blenheim will be the better for his return.