EYE EXAMINATIONS
A regular eye test can help detect eye conditions like long or short sightedness and eye disease before you notice the effect on your sight. Early treatment can often prevent your sight from getting worse. The information here explains what is normally included in an eye test for adults (children may need different tests). An optician who checks your eyes is also called an optometrist.
Adults are recommended to have an eye test at least once every 2 years, while for children under 16, it is recommended every 12 months.
How Much Does It Cost?
The cost of a private routine eye examination is £25.90. However you may be eligible for a free NHS eye examination.
Listed below are those groups entitled to a FREE NHS Eye Examination ...
- Children under 16 or under 19 still in full-time education
- People of 60 years and older
- Those who receive, or whose partner receives, income support, income-based jobseeker’s allowance or pension credit guarantee credit
- Diabetics
- Glaucoma sufferers
- People aged 40 or over with a close relative who has or has had glaucoma
- People advised by an ophthalmologist that they are at risk of glaucoma
- Those who are registered blind and partially sighted
- People entitled to NHS complex lens vouchers
- Those entitled to, or named on, a valid NHS tax credit certificate or named on a valid HC2 certificate
How Long Does It Take
An eye examination normally takes about 30 minutes but we often allow a 60 minute appointment if you are a new patient to us, ensuring that you never feel rushed and we get better results in a more relaxed, pressure free environment.
Andrew Willetts Opticians are unique in their approach to allowing this amount of time for appointments, but we feel it allows us to provide you with the optimum levels of eyecare and professional advice.
10 Good Reasons To Have An Eye Examination
- You only have one pair of eyes. Once lost, your eyesight may never be replaced.
- Unlike your teeth, your eyes do not usually hurt when there is something wrong.
- The eye examination can pick up early signs of potentially blinding eye conditions, such as glaucoma.
- The earlier a problem is detected the greater the chance of successful treatment. This is particularly true for young children and the elderly.
- The eye examination can also detect a number of other underlying health problems, such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
- An examination checks whether your eyesight needs correcting with spectacles and determines the best form of correction for your vision.
- Good vision means working and playing better and safer - in fact it means a better quality of life.
- For young people, good eyesight is vital for learning. An eye examination will detect any problems in sight which may be affecting school performance people entitled to NHS complex lens vouchers.
- Failing eyesight is often taken for granted as people get older. However, by having an eye examination and remedying problems in eyesight, older people can improve their quality of life significantly.
- Poor eyesight is dangerous. Make sure that you meet the legal requirement for driving.