ABOUT US
Bater & Stout Opticians has been the first port of call for patients from Swansea, Neath, Morriston, Swansea Valley, Pontardawe and Gower since we opened as Bater Opticians in 1986. Our dedication to eye health and the latest innovations in eye care has seen us establish an enviable reputation as one of South Wales' leading and most respected optometrists.
A familiar face
We believe that good eye care is about much more than an eye examination or a new pair of glasses. It is about the relationship you build with the people looking after you.
Our team brings together many years of experience with the enthusiasm and fresh perspective of newer members of staff. What we all share is a genuine interest in our patients and a love of getting to know the people who come through our doors.
Many of our patients have been coming to us for years. We have watched children grow up, welcomed new generations of families and shared in all sorts of important moments along the way. We are lucky enough to greet many of our patients by name, often before they have even reached the front desk.
Those familiar faces and conversations are a big part of what makes Bater & Stout feel like Bater & Stout.
We don't want you to feel like a customer. We want you to feel like someone we know.
Care that feels personal
Being independent allows us to take the time to understand you properly.
Whether you are visiting us for your first eye examination, choosing your child's first pair of glasses, looking for something special for yourself or simply popping in to see us, we want you to feel comfortable, listened to and genuinely cared for.
Our commitment to quality applies to everything we do. From our clinical care to the frames and lenses we select, we choose carefully and recommend honestly, always considering what will be right for you and your family.
And whether you visit us as a private or NHS patient, you can expect exactly the same warmth, attention and high standard of care.
A family practice with a long history
Bater & Stout has grown considerably since those early days in 1986, but we are proud that the spirit of a family-run practice remains.
We value the relationships we have built within our community, and we never take the trust our patients place in us for granted. After all, an independent optician is only as strong as the people who choose to come back — and we are incredibly grateful that so many of our patients have been doing exactly that for decades.
Almost 40 years on, we are proud of where we have come from and excited about where we are going.
The names may have changed over the years. The practice has evolved. New faces have joined the team and new generations of patients have walked through our doors.
But our most important tradition remains the same:
Taking care of our patients as we would take care of our own family.
That is the heart of Bater & Stout.
SWANSEA'S TRUSTED & RESPECTED LOCAL OPTICIANS
At Bater & Stout, we provide the latest collections for ladies, men, teens and children, so you can be certain that you will find spectacles that look great and fit well.
Our independence as a leading Swansea optician gives us the freedom to advise on what suits your personal needs. As a result, you are prescribed spectacles only when you need them, and with lenses and frames to suit your budget and requirements.
Buying your spectacles following your most recent eye examination couldn't be easier with Bater & Stout Opticians. Our range includes a number of styles, from classic and elegant to bold and modern. We also add new styles to our collection on a regular basis so we can continue to offer the very best spectacles to patients across Swansea, Neath, Morriston, Swansea Valley, Pontardawe and Gower.
MEET THE TEAM
Sian Richards
Sian has nearly twenty years of experience as an Optometrist, working for Boots Opticians, Dolland and Aitchison and as a locum Optometrist across Wales and the South West. She has also expanded her knowledge to specialise in the fields of Medical Retina and Glaucoma to further support the community and engages in clinics to support the Hospital with some of the most complicated eye conditions. When Sian is not working hard in clinic she is working equally as hard running around after her boys, enjoying the sunshine on the coastal paths, or in the stunning country parks locally.
.svg)
Sian has nearly twenty years of experience as an Optometrist, working for Boots Opticians, Dolland and Aitchison and as a locum Optometrist across Wales and the South West. She has also expanded her knowledge to specialise in the fields of Medical Retina and Glaucoma to further support the community and engages in clinics to support the Hospital with some of the most complicated eye conditions. When Sian is not working hard in clinic she is working equally as hard running around after her boys, enjoying the sunshine on the coastal paths, or in the stunning country parks locally.
Charles Richards
Starting out as weekend staff for Boots Opticians in 2005, after almost twenty years it’s fair to say there’s not much Charles hasn’t seen. Working as a Practice Manager in the North West of England and South Wales and then completing the training to become a Dispensing Optician in 2016, he has built up a wealth of experience with which to serve the community. In his opinion, his crowning achievement is taking over the care of all of Mr Bater and Mr Stout’s patients in August 2023.As a father to two young boys he has a vested interest in ensuring that our youngest patients are looked after to the very best of his and the team’s ability for their future. For our more grown up patients a blend of sensitive care, dry humour and a keen interest in each and every person who crosses the threshold is what can be expected.As a Dispensing Optician and Low Vision practitioner he ensures that he is up-to-date with professional and industry-wide developments in lens and frame design on an on-going basis and ensures that the wider team are equipped with as much training to better help you, our patients, every time you visit.
Starting out as weekend staff for Boots Opticians in 2005, after almost twenty years it’s fair to say there’s not much Charles hasn’t seen. Working as a Practice Manager in the North West of England and South Wales and then completing the training to become a Dispensing Optician in 2016, he has built up a wealth of experience with which to serve the community. In his opinion, his crowning achievement is taking over the care of all of Mr Bater and Mr Stout’s patients in August 2023.As a father to two young boys he has a vested interest in ensuring that our youngest patients are looked after to the very best of his and the team’s ability for their future. For our more grown up patients a blend of sensitive care, dry humour and a keen interest in each and every person who crosses the threshold is what can be expected.As a Dispensing Optician and Low Vision practitioner he ensures that he is up-to-date with professional and industry-wide developments in lens and frame design on an on-going basis and ensures that the wider team are equipped with as much training to better help you, our patients, every time you visit.
Maisie Evans
Maisie joined Bater and Stout in January 2024 from Specsavers in Neath. Her bubbly personality and extensive knowledge of all things eye-related provide a superb eye examination to every patient she sees. She is currently studying to complete her Independent Prescribing qualification and when not knuckling down into study or looking after her patients, she enjoys taking her dog for walks locally and jetting off on holidays!
Maisie joined Bater and Stout in January 2024 from Specsavers in Neath. Her bubbly personality and extensive knowledge of all things eye-related provide a superb eye examination to every patient she sees. She is currently studying to complete her Independent Prescribing qualification and when not knuckling down into study or looking after her patients, she enjoys taking her dog for walks locally and jetting off on holidays!
Angel Corcoran
Angel started at Bater and Stout Opticians one week before Charles in September 2020 as a Saturday girl and has progressed quickly from there to a full-time member of staff. In 2023 she embarked on a Dispensing Optician course at the Association of British Dispensing Opticians College in Kent and took on the role of Practice Manager at more or less the same time. You can rest assured she will give you honesty and use her increasing skills and professional manner with every interaction.Outside of work when Angel isn’t working feverishly on her course assignments, she has been known to be partial to letting her hair down with friends!
Angel started at Bater and Stout Opticians one week before Charles in September 2020 as a Saturday girl and has progressed quickly from there to a full-time member of staff. In 2023 she embarked on a Dispensing Optician course at the Association of British Dispensing Opticians College in Kent and took on the role of Practice Manager at more or less the same time. You can rest assured she will give you honesty and use her increasing skills and professional manner with every interaction.Outside of work when Angel isn’t working feverishly on her course assignments, she has been known to be partial to letting her hair down with friends!
Benjamin Samuel
As one of our newest members of staff, Benjamin has brought a new mix of smooth professionalism, superb communication and a willing smile to our support team. With ever present calm he provides confident advice to our patients on frame selection and a personal service to his dispensing interactions. When not serving our patients he can be found walking (a lot) and keeping fit with Yoga. As an art graduate he often takes the lead on ensuring our frame bars are in as colourful and enticing a display as possible.
As one of our newest members of staff, Benjamin has brought a new mix of smooth professionalism, superb communication and a willing smile to our support team. With ever present calm he provides confident advice to our patients on frame selection and a personal service to his dispensing interactions. When not serving our patients he can be found walking (a lot) and keeping fit with Yoga. As an art graduate he often takes the lead on ensuring our frame bars are in as colourful and enticing a display as possible.
Roxanne Beckett
Roxanne joined the team in December 2023 after seventeen years in the Travel industry. She has a great deal of customer service experience and what she lacks in experience in the Optical world, she more than makes up for with a beaming smile, enthusiasm and a genuine interest in the people she meets. She works part time with us and is busy looking after her family the rest of the time.
Roxanne joined the team in December 2023 after seventeen years in the Travel industry. She has a great deal of customer service experience and what she lacks in experience in the Optical world, she more than makes up for with a beaming smile, enthusiasm and a genuine interest in the people she meets. She works part time with us and is busy looking after her family the rest of the time.
Amanda Gibson
Amanda has a wealth of experience working in both glazing and Opticians practices, having worked for Mr Walters in Swansea for seventeen years. Courtesy of this experience of both manufacture and face-to-face customer care, Amanda leverages her knowledge for every patient she looks after. From explaining Varifocals in a concise but honest and sensitive way, to her confident telephone manner, you can be guaranteed of a superb conversation. As a Swansea FC fan she will happily chat away about football to anyone who will listen and has been known to enjoy a holiday or two!
Amanda has a wealth of experience working in both glazing and Opticians practices, having worked for Mr Walters in Swansea for seventeen years. Courtesy of this experience of both manufacture and face-to-face customer care, Amanda leverages her knowledge for every patient she looks after. From explaining Varifocals in a concise but honest and sensitive way, to her confident telephone manner, you can be guaranteed of a superb conversation. As a Swansea FC fan she will happily chat away about football to anyone who will listen and has been known to enjoy a holiday or two!
OUR PURPOSE
Our primary function is to provide eye examinations using the latest technology to ensure that every eye examination is incredibly thorough. All of our Optometrists are highly experienced and have undertaken additional qualifications to ensure they are at the forefront of current knowledge.
We utilise an incredible Optomap Wide Field imaging scanner to take a retinal image that extends far beyond the more traditional methods of checking eye health. With repeated use we can detect even small changes far more readily, especially when coupled with an advanced 3D Ocular Coherence Tomography (OCT) image that can scan deeper into the eye’s structures than can be done with the naked eye. Both are non-invasive and available to all patients for an additional charge, but also provide our Optometrists with the very best foreknowledge of any existing conditions you may have and are therefore highly recommended.
Following your eye examination our highly trained dispensing team will help you to find a suitable, well-fitted frame. We stock the latest styles from several leading designer brands, as well as a range of essentials if you are on a budget. We will also help guide you on spectacle lenses using years of experience and knowledge on what will work best for you, taking into account your prescription and frame fitting. Our manufacturer of choice for spectacles lenses is HOYA, a lens manufacturer who provide us with a portfolio of superb quality single vision, bifocal and varifocal lenses with fantastic technology and warranties to match.
TESTIMONIALS
We take our customer feedback very seriously and love to here from our customers regarding our products and services.
Here are just a few testimonials we have received.
I haven't been to the opticians for many years and had no choice so called the shop was greeted by a friendly voice who booked me an emergency appointment the next day, this was followed up by a really good experience with the optician who had patience with me.
What a fantastic experience well done all I will never leave it so long next time the new patrons should be proud of the service they give.
I changed opticians from one I have used for many years and it was the best thing I ever did. The staff here are amazing. From the very moment you step into the shop you are treated like a valued customer. No pressure for a sale. They have time for you, you’re not just an appointment using a time slot. Excellent with all ages. My young grandson loves going there. Thank you to all the staff that made his experience so easy for him.
An excellent optician’s. The service is exceptional and the eye test its self is extremely thorough. Everyone working there are so friendly and helpful. I would definitely recommend them.
So pleased with the personal service, sensitivity to my individual circumstances, that I have returned this year to get all 3 sets of frames and lenses required. Added to this a frame customisation to my daily work reading glasses. So pleased that I can complete this priority purchase here and know that my full eye examination has set me up for peace of mind going forward. Thank you Team Bater and Stout, very much indeed.