Why is an eye test so important?
How often should I have my eyes test?
Is it true that wearing glasses all the time will make my eyes lazy?
Do I have to pay for an eye test?
Why do I need an eye test every 2 years if everything seems ok?
I am diabetic - why do I need regular eye tests?
How often can or should I change my glasses?
Does my employer need to pay for my glasses now I use a computer?
How old do children have to be before they can have their eyes tested?
Does my child need to be able to read before they can have an eye examination?
How do I know if my child is having problems with their eyes?
How much will my child's glasses cost?
Will my child always need glasses?
If both parents wear glasses will our children also need glasses?
I have astigmatism, can I still have contact lenses?
Is there an age limit before you can wear or must stop wearing contact lenses?
My contact lens specification has expired, can I still buy my contact lenses?
I wear contact lenses - why do I need glasses?
What is the risk of eye infection if I wear contact lenses?
Why has my optician told me to only wear my contact lenses for 6 hours a day?
What should I do if my contact lenses are uncomfortable?
What is the legal vision requirement for driving?
Which frames and lenses are best for driving?
What is the risk to my eyes whilst Skiing?
What should I look for when buying Skiing goggles?
What is an anti-reflection coating?
How do I know if I need an anti-reflection coating on my spectacles?
Eye tests can pick up very early signs of sight and underlying health problems and the earlier they are treated the better. Potential health problems include diabetes, high blood pressure, some brain tumours and multiple sclerosis. The eye test will also detect if your vision can be improved. You may just be used to seeing less clearly and therefore do not realise it can be improved upon. For children, it is essential that their eyes are functioning normally for them to perform well at school. Don’t accept that your vision will decline with age, as it may be possible to improve it further.
Every 2 years. The eye examination is a regular health check, which can detect underlying health problems as well as changes in your vision. It may need to be more frequently checked depending on you age and medical history. Your optometrist will normally advise you when you should return for your next Eye Examination.
No. What you may have considered normal before is now, by comparison, poor. By wearing correctly prescribed glasses you will realise you can see more clearly.
If you are entitled to an NHS Sight Test there will be no charge. Click here to see if you qualify. For private patients Optical Revolution also waives its charge for an eye test if you buy glasses (or order the reglaze of your existing pair) on the same day. Otherwise our charge is £15.
Eyes don’t usually let you know that something is wrong and any change is usually very gradual, so you may well become accustomed to the change in your vision. Therefore, regular eye tests are important to pick up any change as soon as possible. The eye tests can pick up very early signs of both sight and underlying health problems and the earlier they are treated the better. Potential health problems include diabetes, high blood pressure, some brain tumours and multiple sclerosis. The eye test will also detect if your vision can be improved.
Your optometrist can detect early signs of diabetic retinopathy by looking inside your eyes. The earlier any changes are detected, the more likely it is they can be monitored and treated to prevent loss of sight. Early treatment is essential so an annual Eye Examination is the best step you can take to protect your eyes. As a diabetic you qualify for a free eye test (paid for by the NHS).
You can buy glasses as often as you feel like it. The concept of owning one pair of glasses at a time is very outdated. Optical Revolution’s highly competitive prices make it economical to own several pair of glasses at once. You can wear different pairs to reflect different styles or looks. You can also keep extra pairs in convenient locations such as in the car, by your bed, in your office desk or briefcase. If your prescription does change after an eye test, Optical Revolution can usually re-glaze your collection of glasses at a very reasonable cost.
Not necessarily. However there is a lot of confusion about this topic. Basically if you regularly use a VDU or PC screen as part of your work your employer must provide a regular full eye test free of charge. They must only pay for a pair of basic glasses if you need them specifically for VDU / PC use. That is, if you need to use them at any other time, your employer does not have to pay for them. See the section on Corporate Eyecare for further details.
Children can be examined at any age. However it is recommended that an optometrist sees them before they start learning to read or start school, whichever is earlier. Often, vision problems can be the reason a child does not perform well at school, therefore the earlier a problem is detected the more chance there is of helping your child. Children’s eyes are fully developed by the time they are 8 years old so it is very important to have any problems detected before this.
Children can be examined at any age and therefore can be examined well before they have learnt to read. Optometrists can use a variety of methods to check both the vision and health of a child's eyes, even if the child is not old enough to communicate. As your child's reading and communication skills develop, the eye examination will be adapted accordingly. By the time your child is 8 years old their eyes will be fully developed. It is important that any problems are detected before this stage.
During the first year there are rapid changes in your baby’s vision, however do not worry if your baby cannot seem to focus or their eyes seem to wander during the first 4 months. Parents should keep a watchful eye out for the following 13 signals that may indicate the need for vision correction. See the Children’s Eye Care section for further details.
Kids go completely free at Optical Revolution. See the Children’s Eye Care and NHS sections for further details.
If your child is long-sighted, they may only need glasses for a short while, in order to control the symptoms of the prescription, until their eye is fully developed. However, if your child is short-sighted it is likely that they will always need to wear glasses. In this case it is very likely that they will be able to wear Contact Lenses.
Not necessarily. However many eye conditions are hereditary, so it is advisable to have your children's eyes examined on a regular basis (every 6-12 months).
Contact lenses for most types of astigmatism are now available. Your contact lens optician will take measurements of the exact shape of the surface of your eye and decide which type of contact lens will be most suitable for you. Often, due to these precise measurements, a specific lens will need to be ordered for you to try as they are harder to fit exactly to the eye.
Not at all, anybody from young children to the elderly can wear contact lenses quite successfully.
You require a current and valid contact lens specification for any optician to supply your replacement contact lenses. We recommend that you should have an annual eye examination and a contact lens check every 6 months.
In order for your eyes to remain healthy, it is best to let them breathe normally at least every evening and preferably one whole day a week. This is done by not wearing your contact lenses, therefore you will need up-to-date glasses. On a precautionary basis, your eyes may at some stage get an infection and you may not be able to wear your contact lenses, again in this case glasses may well be beneficial.
The importance of contact lens hygiene cannot be stressed enough, however there is very little chance of infection if you look after your contact lenses correctly.
You must ensure that the contact lens is completely sterile before you put it in your eye as your eye is the perfect breeding place for bacteria, being warm and moist. Don’t forget that bacteria can also breed in your contact lens storage case, so replace and/or clean this item regularly.
Your optician will only tell you to reduce your wearing time if it is of benefit to you. The most common reason being for needing to take contact lenses out, is that there are signs that the eyes aren’t getting enough oxygen, so by limiting the length of time you wear your contact lenses, your eyes will be healthier in the long term.
There are several reasons why your contact lenses might feel uncomfortable. Firstly, your contact lenses may be damaged or have a deposit “build up” on them. Secondly, if your contact lenses are in good condition, there may be something irritating your eyes and making the lenses feel uncomfortable. Either way you should make an appointment to see your contact lens optician as they will be able to examine the contact lenses and see if there is any damage or deposits, which could be making them uncomfortable.
As a minimum requirement, motorists must be able to read a number plate from a distance of 20.5 metres (67 feet) and have a 120 degree wide field of view. See the Driving section for more details.
Some spectacles are better than others for driving. Those with rimless designs or with thin rims are particularly suitable as they allow greater all-round vision than those with heavy frames. Spectacles with plastic lenses are also lighter and safer as they are less likely to shatter in an accident. Anti-reflection coatings can be applied to any lenses at a reasonable cost, helping you to see more clearly and cut down on glare, especially when driving at night. See the Driving section for more details.
High levels of ultra-violet (UV) light that can enter and burn your eyes, even on cloudy days. UV levels are highest when the atmosphere is very clear – such as on the ski slopes and the problem is made worse by snow which reflects light. This type of eye damage – which is like sunburn of the eyes – is usually only temporary, but it can cause serious discomfort. In severe cases it can cause snow-blindness. So, to protect your eyes and ensure you can see clearly while skiing it's essential to use the right type of goggles or sunglasses.
To protect your eyes and ensure you can see clearly while skiing it's essential to use the right type of goggles or sunglasses. Look for sunglasses or goggles that protect your eyes from UV light, so seek out goggles and sunglasses that block at least 95 per cent of these rays. See the Winter Sports section for more details.
An anti-reflection coating makes lenses virtually invisible. They also particularly reduce reflections and the glare and brightness of head lights from on-coming traffic. The coating also increases both contrast and clarity.
An anti-reflection coating can benefit all spectacle wearers as it reduces unwanted reflections and glare, whilst increasing both contrast and clarity. The coating can be of particular benefit to you if you wear high-index lenses, are a VDU operator, regularly drive at night, or work in artificial lighting.
