Frequently Asked Questions

Certain people are entitled to a free eye test on the NHS. Click here to find out if you qualify.

Pre-school children can be examined, especially if there is a history of eye problems in the family. You can always have a chat with the Optometrist who will advise you if they need to see your child. In some cases the optometrist will refer young children to the local eye hospital for a routine examination.

This is a common concern. We look at it this way. Firstly, only a tiny percentage of patients actually have a serious condition so the chances are that you will be fine. In the event of you having a problem it is far better to have it detected early so that it can be treated, rather than allowing it to get to a stage where effective treatment may not be so likely. Many conditions that once were difficult to treat are now able to be treated.

Possibly. Come in and let us have a look. Your Optometrist will be able to tell if you have, and if you do, he/she will send you to see your doctor with a referral, so you can be considered for surgery. Modern cataract surgery is extremely safe and quick and patients usually enjoy very clear and bright vision straight away after surgery

Even though your vision may be perfect, diabetic eye disease can affect your retina (the screen of the eye) very slowly. If the damage reaches an area called the 'macula' this can cause serious vision problems. If your optician spots the early signs of diabetic eye disease and refers you to your local eye department at the hospital for treatment then you are far less likely to go on serious diabetic related vision loss.

By law, when Optometrists produce a prescription for spectacles they also have to check that your eyes are healthy. This is because any changes in your vision may have been caused because of a health issue e.g. Glaucoma or Diabetes.

Some companies run promotions to entice people into their practices. Here at Ideal Eyes, most of our patients return year after year. We do not feel it is fair to offer this service for free to some people whilst others have to pay. We view it as a gimmick and it does not fit in with the vision we have of ourselves as professional people, providing a professional service.

It is often possible for us to obtain frames that we do not have in stock as we have access to many manufacturers. Just speak to one of our staff.

Part of the service we provide is to adjust frames for you so you can wear them comfortably. In the very unusual situation that we are unable to adjust your frame to make it comfortable we will exchange the frame for you, at the Manager’s discretion.

This is down to the quality of the manufacturing process, the materials used, the brand name and the warranty supplied by the manufacturer. Our luxury frames carry a two year warranty against damage.

A high prescription can result in unacceptably thick lenses. We can offer you a ‘high index’ lens which will reduce the thickness of the lenses in your spectacles. These have to be dispensed and fitted carefully to ensure that the best vision is achieved, as well as a good cosmetic result.

The dispensing opticians at Ideal Eyes are trained to be able to take all the necessary steps to find out which type of lenses you need.

If you use a VDU regularly your company should pay for your eye test, unless you are entitled to a free examination provided by the NHS. Your Optometrist will advise you whether your prescription is either wholly or partially for use on a VDU, e.g. Varifocals, in which case your employer should contribute towards the cost of the spectacles.

This is becoming a more common problem as more and more people regularly use PCs and laptops. We advise patients to use Office Lenses which are designed to provide a greater range, so you can see the screen and read as well. Talk to one of our dispensing staff.

Most patients can wear varifocal lenses provided they are fitted professionally and the correct design of varifocal is provided. All our varifocals have a no-quibble 8 week free trial period so if you really can’t get on with them we will exchange for alternatives and refund any difference in price.

Lenses that go dark in the sun are called ‘photochromic’ and nowadays a good rate and level of change is achievable in plastic lenses, for many prescriptions. We can advise you if your prescription is suitable for this type of lens. Remember; these lenses do not go fully dark in the car.

No, this is not physically possible. Lenses can occasionally float off the cornea and you may have to take them out and put them in again.

Contact lenses are now made to correct astigmatism and many of these patients can successfully wear contact lenses when at one time it was not possible. Your Optometrist will advise you if your prescription is suitable for contact lens wear.

No. This can cause serious eye infections.

Generally this is not advised unless you wear a watertight goggle or close your eyes when you swim under water.

Your practitioner examines your eyes to determine the length of time it is appropriate for you to wear lenses. Unfortunately the fact that they feel fine does not indicate that you can wear them for longer safely. A good analogy is: You can drive a car with bald tyres and it may still feel fine, until you hit a wet patch of road!

Your contact lenses rest on the tear film of your eyes; the spectacle lenses are in the air in front of your eyes. This difference in distance affects the prescription.

Old cases become dirty and can be a source of infection. Replacing your cases regularly reduces the risk to the health of your eyes.

For most people, soft contact lenses are very comfortable. The major cause of discomfort is dry eyes. We supply lenses and advice to try to resolve these issues.