Who Are the Best Opticians in Market Harborough?
If you’re trying to choose a new optician in or around Market Harborough, you’re probably feeling unsure about where to start. There are more options than ever, and on the surface, many of them seem to offer similar products and services. But when it comes to something as personal as your vision and eyewear, you want to feel confident that you’re making the right choice.
Each year, we help nearly 1,000 people from Harborough and beyond to See Better, Look Better and Feel Better in glasses that truly suit them. And because we’re known for doing things differently, we’re often asked who else we’d recommend in the area.
So in this article, we’ll walk you through five of the best independent opticians in and around Market Harborough, giving you the facts you need to make a high-quality, low-risk decision, even if that decision isn’t us.
1. Respectacle Company: Family-Owned Optician in the Heart of Town
A locally owned practice offering independent eyewear brands and a personalised service.
Located on Manor Walk in the centre of Market Harborough, Respectacle Company is an independent optician owned by husband and wife team Alison and Rob Price.
They took over the practice in 2016, continuing the legacy of the former T J Hanby Opticians. Like Clarke & Roskrow, they stock independent eyewear brands and are known for offering a personalised customer service experience.
Respectacle provides a full range of traditional eyecare services, including NHS Sight Tests and contact lens fitting.
2. Davis Opticians: Long-Standing Local Practice Now Part of National Group
A heritage practice now supported by The Hakim Group, offering designer-label frames and a wide range of eyecare services.
Davis Opticians (formerly Clinton-Smith & Warren) is a well-established practice located on St Mary’s Road in Market Harborough.
The original practice, Clinton-Smith & Warren, opened around the same time as Clarke & Roskrow in 1974. In 2011, it became part of the Davis group of opticians, a family-run collection of practices based in Kettering, Thrapston, Rothwell and Olney. More recently, the group joined The Hakim Group, a UK-based company that partners with independent optical practices across the country.
Although each practice retains its own trading name and branding, being part of a larger group means certain elements, such as frame selection, lenses, and operational decisions, are supported at a group level rather than fully controlled by the local team.
Davis Opticians typically work with well-known designer-label eyewear brands and have historically partnered with the German lens manufacturer Rodenstock. They also offer a wide range of eyecare services, including NHS Sight Tests, contact lens fitting, and more specialised care such as sports vision, myopia management for children, dry eye support, and Valeda light therapy a treatment designed to slow the progression of dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD).
They also provide hearing care services in partnership with The Hearing Care Partnership.
3. Henry, Smith & Hamylton: Established Leicestershire Chain with Designer Brands
A long-standing family-run chain with a designer-focused frame selection and a presence across the region.
Henry, Smith & Hamylton (often referred to as HSH) is a family-run optical group that has been operating for over 100 years. While they’re a newer presence in Market Harborough, they’re well-known throughout Leicester and Leicestershire, with additional locations in places like Peterborough.
Their practices tend to carry a wide selection of designer label frames, the kind you’d find in many high street optical stores. Their leading lens supplier is Hoya, a global brand known for innovation in lens technology.
HSH offers the full scope of standard optical services, including NHS Sight Tests and contact lens fitting.
4. Edmonds & Slatter: Kibworth-Based Optician with Specialist Services
An independent optician near Harborough known for traditional care and specialist services like myopia management.
Although not located directly in Market Harborough, Edmonds & Slatter is a long-standing independent practice based in Kibworth, about six miles away. Founded by John Edmonds and Karyn Slatter, they’ve built a solid reputation with practices throughout Leicestershire.
They offer traditional eye care services such as NHS Sight Tests and contact lens fittings, along with a few specialist offerings like myopia management for children.
Their eyewear range includes well-known designer labels, and they are an authorised stockist of Maui Jim sunglasses. Their primary lens partners are Essilor and Carl Zeiss, two leading names in ophthalmic lenses.
5. Optivision Opticians: Long-Running Family Practice Near Harborough
A traditional, family-owned optician with decades of community service and core eyecare services.
Optivision Opticians operates several practices across Leicestershire, including branches in Oadby and Wigston, both around 12 miles from Market Harborough.
Previously known as Davis Hill Opticians, Optivision has served the local community for over 60 years as a traditional family-run practice.
They stock a range of familiar designer-label frames commonly found on the high street, though their website doesn’t specify lens suppliers. Their services include NHS Sight Tests, contact lens fittings, and myopia management for children.
Other Opticians: National Optical Chains in Town
Market Harborough is also served by major chains offering accessible, high-volume optical services.
In addition to independent practices, Market Harborough is also home to national chains like Boots Opticians, Vision Express, and Specsavers.
These brands offer accessible, high-volume services and often run promotional pricing. For more information on what they offer, a quick Google search will take you directly to their websites.
Wondering how we compare?
While this article is focused on helping you explore other trusted opticians in and around Market Harborough, we’re often asked how Clarke & Roskrow fits into the picture. So, here’s a quick, unbiased overview of who we are, just in case you’re still exploring all your options.
Clarke & Roskrow Styling Opticians:
Eyewear Styling Experts for Adults 35 years+ Seeking a Different Kind of Experience
A specialist optician focused on helping adults aged 35 years+ choose glasses they love, through one-on-one frame styling, independent brands, and a truly personal experience.
Clarke & Roskrow Styling Opticians is a multi-award-winning, family-owned independent practice that has been part of the Market Harborough community since 1974. Unlike traditional opticians, who serve a broad age range, Clarke & Roskrow specialises in adult eyecare for those aged 35 and above.
They’re best suited for people who:
- Are new to wearing glasses and aren’t sure where to start, or
- Have worn glasses for years but are frustrated by the same generic designer frames, rushed appointments, or impersonal service they’ve experienced elsewhere.
What sets Clarke & Roskrow apart is their Eyewear Styling Consultation—a one-on-one service where expert opticians help you select frames that suit your face shape, colouring, style preferences, and personality. The goal is to make choosing glasses less overwhelming and more enjoyable, especially for those who’ve struggled in the past to find something they truly love wearing.
They stock a carefully curated selection of independent eyewear brands not typically found in high street chains, and work with leading lens partners to provide tailored vision solutions.
While they do not offer NHS sight tests, they provide private eye exams using a suite of advanced diagnostics, including optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans, all delivered in a relaxed, welcoming and friendly boutique environment.
Conclusion: Making the Right Choice for You
Choosing the right optician shouldn’t feel like guesswork. Now that you’ve seen how some of the top local practices compare in terms of ownership, product ranges, and specialist services, you’re in a much stronger position to decide what’s right for you.
If you’re still feeling uncertain, that’s completely normal, especially when most opticians sound the same on paper. That’s exactly why we created a free guide: “The 10 Top Things You Must Know Before Choosing Your Optician.” It’s designed to help you avoid common pitfalls and choose with confidence, whether you end up visiting us or someone else. Download your copy below.
At Clarke & Roskrow Styling Opticians, we’re here to help people make informed decisions about their vision and eyewear, no pressure, no gimmicks, just clarity.
