NHS and private examinations

Private examinations
The fee for private examinations is £28.00

Are you entitled to a free eye test?

Everyone aged 60 or over now receives an eye examination at no charge.

Currently the following groups don't have to pay charges for an eye examination and also receive a voucher towards the cost of spectacles or contact lenses:

• Children under 16 years.
• Full time students under 19 years.
• Families in receipt of Income Support, NHS Tax Credit Exemption Certificate, Income Based Jobseekers Allowance, HC2 certificate or pension credit guarantee (not savings credit).
• Complex prescriptions

In addition the following groups are entitled to an NHS eye examination but no voucher towards spectacles:

• Everyone aged 60 or over.
• Diabetics.
• Glaucoma sufferers (and their close relatives aged 40 or over).
• People who are registered as blind or partially sighted.

PLEASE NOTE: NHS regulations state how often you can have an eye examination or voucher. This varies according to the above groups but is generally every 6 to 12 months as a child, or 2 years for an adult. Please ask us if you are not sure of your entitlement and always contact us if you have any problem with your vision.

There is no limit to the frequency of private eye examinations.

Important Changes
The NHS have introduced a new procedure which means we now have to ask you to show some evidence of your entitlement , just as you do at the Pharmacy when collecting medicines. For example, if you are over 60 you could bring your birth certificate, if you receive Income Support you need to bring your benefit book. When you make your appointment our receptionists will be able to give you further advice.

Lenses

You've chosen the frame that suits you and feels comfortable - now remember we are here to help you to choose the best lenses. (Email us with your prescription details if you require further advice contact@cjroyleopticians.co.uk)

Many lenses today have sophisticated computer designed surfaces that mean they are thinner, lighter and flatter than ever before. Lightweight high index plastics make the lens thinner still. Polycarbonate lenses are increasingly used. Lenses are available as single vision, bifocal or varifocal. We are Varilux™ Specialist opticians.

Other options to consider are scratch resistance, anti-reflection coating, water repellance, impact resistance, extra ultra violet protection and tints or light reactive lenses (e.g. Reactolite® or Transitions®).

What is an anti-reflection coating?
This is a thin layer applied to the lens surface which reduces reflections to increase the amount of light reaching the eye by up to 15%. This benefits the wearer by giving sharper, clearer vision and greater contrast especially at night time and gives a better cosmetic appearance.

New Equipment - investing in the latest technology

We have two fully equipped consultancy rooms. The ground floor room is fully accessible to all our patients, even those with limited mobility or using wheel chairs. Both rooms have slit lamp microscopes and volk lenses to provide highly magnified images of the front of the eye and also three dimensional views of the back (fundus).

Retinal photography

We have installed a state-of-the-art digital retinal camera which will allow us to take photographs of the back of your eye (retina) and enable us to carry out a far more detailed examination than was previously possible.

The picture is taken in seconds using flash photography, nothing touches your eyes.

We will then store the images, which will be a permanent and accurate record to allow us to look for changes year on year.
We make a small additional charge for this worthwhile examination which is not available under the NHS.

Ask for a retinal photograph when you make your appointment.

Diabetic screening

All our optometrists are trained and registered with the General Optical Council, the College of Optometrists and the North Staffordshire diabetic screening service. To comply with this scheme all diabetic patients must have a fundus photograph taken and the images are sent to the Diabetic Sceening Centre in Stafford. Results of the screening are sent to you and your doctor.

To take these photographs we dilate the pupil of the eye with drops (called Tropicamide) and you may be in the practice for an hour. The drops may make your vision blurred for up to four hours, therefore you must not drive during this period. Because of this, you may need someone to accompany you home. You are likely to be sensitive to bright light after the examination so may wish to bring a pair of sunglasses with you.

Glaucoma screening

To detect glaucoma we undertake three tests:

1. An examination of the fundus concentrating on the optic nerve.

2. Measurement of the intraocular pressure of each eye using an applanation tonometer. This involves having a local anesthetic drop in each eye and a small amount of yellow dye in the tears. Some practices use an instrument which sends a puff of air onto the eye but we prefer the applanation method as this is the standard used in hospital eye clinics. We use disposable equipment to eliminate any risk of infection.

3. Computerised visual field testing. This checks for blind spots in the visual field. You are shown a sequence of spots of lights on a screen and asked how many you can see.

Contact lenses

We fit all types of soft and gas permeable contact lenses including disposable and soft toric lenses to fit astigmatic patients.

If you want to try contact lenses you will need to book an appointment for a trial to assess your suitability. An eye test will be necessary if you have not had one for two years.