Company History
1974: Graham Evans (D.G.Evans Opticians) opened his first practice
in College St. Lampeter in 1974, having followed his father Selwyn Evans into
the profession in 1970. The second practice soon followed at what was then Graham’s
home in New Rd Llandeilo.
1981: following the retirement of Mr.Selwyn Evans 7 Stone St. Llandovery became the third practice in the group.
1982: Richard Hughes started his career as a student Optometrist under the tutelage of Graham Evans.
1985: Graham Evans and Richard Hughes formed the Evans & Hughes partnership.
1986: a new practice in Wind St Ammanford was established to serve the patients of that area following the retirement of both Evans and Griffiths Opticians.
1987: our Llandovery branch relocated to 10 Stone St.
1989: we developed one of the first practice based optical laboratories in West Wales at our Llandeilo base. This modern facility enabled us to offer a fast high quality service to our patients.
1990- : we continued to act as a training practice for newly qualified optometrists and developed our expertise in many new fields of clinical optometry including a diabetic shared care scheme with local GP surgeries.
1998: our Ammanford practice relocated to 34 Quay St. Ammanford.
1999: Lampeter was next to relocate to larger premises at 7 Bridge St.
2001: Heddwyn Davies who also trained with Mr Evans became a partner.
2003: Llandeilo practice was redesigned to provide improved
clinical and dispensing facilities in a new comfortable and convenient modern
environment
2005: Following the success of our Llandeilo refit it was time
to redesign the Ammanford branch, more than a simple change of image –
we needed more room to accommodate the latest advance in clinical eye care.
On the 12th of April we installed digital fundus imaging instruments at our
Lampeter and Ammanford practices, once again Evans and Hughes were at the forefront
of our profession.
The practice and profession of optometry has certainly changed enormously since 1974, but our determination to provide a modern, competitive high quality service utilising the latest clinical and technical innovations while retaining the caring, professional approach of the original National Health Service has not. With your support we hope to continue in this way for many years to come.
2008: After 34 years at the helm Graham Evans decided it was time to hand over the reins to Heddwyn and Richard. It was time for Graham to enjoy a well earned rest and for Heddwyn and Richard the start of a new chapter. Time to make their mark. ensuring that Evans and Hughes prospered, remained at the forefront of Optometric practice and continued to offer the quality of service their patients had grown to expect.2009:The hard work of all the team at Evans & Hughes is rewarded when they are chosen by the Welsh Assembly to be the first optometric practice to pilot an innovative Glaucoma Shared care scheme using the very latest technology. Heddwyn took the lead in the project to be sited at the Llandeilo practice. Lewis Richards also joined the practice as an optometrist at the Ammanford practice.
2010:Ann Louise Connolly our pre registration optometrist qualifies with ‘flying colours’ yet another testament to the quality of staff and training at Evans & Hughes.