Eye Clinic

Need an eye test? 

The eye test is a full health check for your eyes. It will detect any focusing problems (long or short sight) which can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses, as well as detecting more serious eye conditions.

The test also looks for indications of general health conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure which can also affect the eye. Having your vision corrected will help you make the most of everyday life, and is very important for children’s educational development.

Understanding your eyes

In the early stages of many eye conditions there may be no symptoms or changes in vision. In most cases your eyes will not hurt if there is a problem. This is why it is so important to have regular eye tests, even if there are no changes in your vision or problems with your eyes.

An eye test can often pick up the first signs of an eye condition before you notice any changes in your vision.

Your eyes’ condition varies according to your age, personal or family medical history and your individual eye health.

In the eye clinic

The ophthalmologist will want to ask what may seem a lot of questions about your eye symptoms. This is called “taking a history” and it is an important step in helping the doctor to find out what condition you may have.

There are a number of tests that the ophthalmologist may want to perform and they may perform different tests for different eye conditions. Most of the more common conditions will include an examination of the inside of your eye. This is normally done using a type of microscope called a “slit lamp”. This is a piece of equipment that allows the doctor to get a clear view of the inside of your eye.

You will be asked to place your chin on a holder and the ophthalmologist will sit opposite you, looking down a microscope attachment to the slit lamp. This examination is nearly always conducted with the lights in the examining room switched off. When the doctor is looking inside your eye, you will be able to see bright lights. These lights can seem very bright but they are not strong enough to cause any problems with your sight. The doctor can use different settings on the slit lamp to see different parts of the eye and also to see your eye from different angles.

All this information helps them to diagnose any problem you may have.

In some cases this examination is enough for the doctor to be able to tell you what condition they think you have. If this is the case, the ophthalmologist should tell you what they think is affecting your eyes. They should also tell you of any treatments available, what the prognosis is, and give you time to ask any questions that you may have.

In some cases the doctor may need the results of other tests to help make their decision. If this is the case then you may find that you have to visit the clinic more than once, firstly for any tests that may be needed and then secondly to get the results from your ophthalmologists.

Free NHS eye tests

You may be entitled to a Free NHS eye test and possibly also help towards the cost of glasses. The NHS provides free eye tests and based on age, health or income.

Who qualifies for a free NHS eye test?

You are entitled if you are:

Age

• You are under 16
• You are under 19 years of age and in full-time education
• You are aged 60 or over

Health

• You are registered blind or partially sighted
• You have been diagnosed with diabetes or glaucoma
• You are 40 or over and have a brother, sister or parent with glaucoma
• You have been advised by a hospital ophthalmologist that you're at risk of Glaucoma
• You are prescribed a complex lens

Income

• You or your partner receive Income Support or Income-Based Job Seeker's Allowance
• You or your partner receive a Tax Credit and are named on a Tax Credit NHS Exemption Certificate
• You have a low income and are named on an NHS HC2 certificate for full help with health costs.
• People named on an NHS certificate for partial help with health costs (HC3) might also get help. See your certificate for details.
• Please bring your proof of entitlement when you come along for your eye test as you will be asked to provide it. If you are unsure whether you qualify for a free NHS eye test, contact us.

Prescriptions

Prescriptions for glasses and/or contact lenses will be provided.

We also offer a range of good quality frames.