Happiness comes in pairs

Tobich Optics opened in Windhoek in 2008, but then moved to Otjiwarongo in 2017. The building was the German Café. Tobich started off quite small but being in the CBD gave clients access to the business.

The main reason why they thought of Otjiwarongo was because the town gave them the opportunity to bring another optometrist to the town. This according to Bertus de Jager, who owns and operates the business.

“With over 15 years of experience in eye care excellence, Tobich Optics is your one-stop shop for every and all eye care needs.”

Tobich strives to give nothing but exceptional service and provide their customers with frames and lenses. Tobich also offers glasses for children as well as eye exams - for children, these are very important to ensure a child's eyes are healthy and that they have no vision problems that could interfere with school performance and potentially affect a child's safety. Although serious vision problems during childhood are rare, routine eye checks are offered to newborn babies and young children to identify any problems early on.

The business believes early eye exams are important because children need the following visual skills that are essential for optimal learning: Excellent visual acuity at all distances, accurate and comfortable eye teaming skills and accurate eye movement, which improves children’s ability to learn. The sooner an eye problem is found, the sooner the child will be able to get the treatment and support needed. Children may not realise they have a vision problem, so, without routine tests, there's a risk a problem may not be spotted. This may affect their development and education.

Tobich offers a wide variety of frames - from generic to luxury - as well as sunglasses.

“We give the patients the option that if they don’t find something they like, we can order it from anywhere in the world,” De Jager said.

As far back as the 15th century, glasses were envisioned as symbols of scholarly accomplishment, gracing the faces of intellects and people of importance in paintings and portraits of the time. And yet interestingly enough, actual working lenses would still take almost another half-century to be invented!

Today’s glasses come in a variety of shapes, styles and materials and are both functional and fashionable. Spectacles are an important accessory, helping people to see better, while also showing off a unique side to themselves. That’s why choosing the right lens and frames for your individual needs and lifestyle is important. More than a fashion statement, glasses are your window to the world.

All Tobich employees have been working there for five to 10 years. Retail, optical and administrative assistant Venecia Apolls, who has been at Tobich for nine years, said: “When you work for a company for a long time, they become family and you get comfortable, making the working environment easy to work in”.

The business was renovated in 2021, and De Jager said he hopes that this new addition to Otjiwarongo shows that they are proud of the town and that they are proud to be here.

The renovation changed the entire vibe of the place. It’s a beautiful sight and aesthetically pleasing for anyone who walks inside the venue.

A special service that really sets Tobich apart from any other optometrist is that, once every two months, eye specialist Dr Jasper Lochner from Swakopmund visits and sees clients who are unable to travel all the way to the coast or to Windhoek. This, De Jager said, is a huge advantage for the people of Otjiwarongo because there aren’t eye specialists travelling up north very often and there is very big demand for it. He added that the business strives to give the most innovative, positive and good service because the Tobich Optics team knows that these are difficult times.