John Lewis is eyeing a launch into spectacles with the trial of an opticians in its Westfield Stratford and Cardiff stores.

Graphic illustration of the new John Lewis opticians format

The service, to launch in the autumn, could be rolled out across the country if successful, according to The Standard. John Lewis has already launched a host of services in its stores, from travel agent to new eateries, in a bid to increase dwell time.

The opticians will use hi-tech 3D scanners to conduct eye tests that can pick up early signs of conditions including retinitis pigmentosa. John Lewis has partnered with eyewear company Luxottica to launch the pilot, and it will stock spectacles from brands including Armani, Prada and Ray-Ban.

John Lewis director commercial operations Sean Allam said: “We want to give our customers compelling reasons to visit our shops and believe that the time is right to launch a service that provides the right mix of fashion leading product and top quality eye care.

“John Lewis shoppers rely on us to provide the very best in customer service and product assortment and John Lewis Opticians takes that one step further, offering top class eye care coupled with a range of world leading brands.”