Eye Examinations

Optical ServicesYour Eye examination

Optical Services

Your eyes are amazing - keep them that way.

Good vision helps you work and play safely and comfortably - it leads to a better quality of life. Unlike your teeth your eyes do not usually hurt if there is something wrong. 50% of sight loss is preventable - early detection is paramount. If you lose your eyesight it may never be replaced.

An eye examination is an important part of looking after your eyes, but it’s more than a simple test of your sight. Your GP knows about your general health, but your optometrist has studied for years to learn all about your eyes – how you can see best, and what to do if things aren’t quite right. We are able to check out other general health issues during an eye examination and give advice as required.

We will recommend how regularly you need to have eye checks.

By caring for your eye health, good vision can last a life time.

Why to Have an Eye Test

A sight test is a vital health check for your eyes that can pick up early signs of eye conditions before you're aware of any symptoms – many of which can be treated if found early enough.

Good vision leads to a better quality of life.
An eye examination can detect early signs of potentially serious eye conditions.
The earlier a problem is detected the greater the chance of successful treatment.
Your eyes are the only pair you’ve got. If you lose your eyesight it may never be replaced.

You can read more on why to have an eye test on the College of Optometrists website: lookafteryoureyes.org

The Eye ExaminationA Comprehensive Eye Test

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An eye examination should be part of everyone’s normal health routine. Most people should have their eyes examined every two years. We are able to check out other general health issues during an eye examination and give advice.

We have enormous clinical experience and Tracey Kingston White has been a qualified optometrist for over 30 years and keeps up-to-date with regular ongoing training. Over the last 10+ years, we have looked after thousands of customer's eyes.

During your eye exam, we will check for early signs of eye conditions to reduce the risk of irreversible vision loss such as cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and some forms of cancer. We also check for general health issues such as diabetes, high cholesterol and hypertension (high blood pressure) which can cause a stroke.

More Frequent Exams

Some people may need to have more frequent examinations depending on age and medical history. If you are over 40 years old and in an at-risk group, such as having a close family member with a hereditary eye condition like glaucoma, you should have an eye exam every year. This is also the case for diabetics, children and people over 70 years.

We will recommend how regularly you need to have eye checks.

sight-test

A Comprehensive Eye Examination

Our comprehensive eye examination will include many tests, such as:

History and Symptoms - to determine if you have any visual/eye problems, any general health issues, and your daily lifestyle/job requirements. Since some eye conditions are hereditary you will also be asked about your family history.
A vision check with the letter chart (distance and close up).
Assessment of binocular vision - how your eyes work together. There are lots of different tests that may be used for this.
Pupil reactions and eye movements which may indicate neurological problems.
External and internal eye examination using an opthalmoscope or slit lamp and volk lens- a specialised microscope system.
Retinoscopy is a light that we shine to obtain a starting point for the prescription using a trial frame and different trial lenses.
Subjective refraction is where we use numerous fine tuning tests to find the best prescription for your eyes.

Additional tests may include:

3D tests and colour vision (especially for children)
Visual fields tests to check for abnormal blind spots in the normal extent of vision (this can be affected by certain eye and neurological conditions).
Tonometry to check the internal eye pressure which can be a problem in glaucoma.
Examination with dilating drops or cycloplegic drops for further confirmation of results.
Digital retinal photography - this is useful for a permanent record of how the retina looks so we can see if there are changes with time (which may indicate problems) There is usually an additional charge for this.

The eye examination time can vary (minimum is 30 minutes) and if it’s your first time at Kingston White Opticians we often book a longer appointment and sometimes we will need to perform additional tests on another day such as dilating/cycloplegic drops and visual fields tests.

We will discuss and explain fully our findings of the eye examination.

If you require glasses we will give you full explanations and options and will discuss at length if you require further tests or if you need to be referred to the hospital or your GP.