An eye test is a consultation led by an optometrist to assess the overall health of the eye and evaluate the sharpness or focus of your vision.
A routine eye test will check two things:
How well you can see at different distances: close up, at middle distances and at long distances. This will determine whether you need assistance in order to see clearly. This assistance may be a prescription for glasses or contact lenses, or you may wish to explore more permanent vision correction options such as laser eye surgery.
Your general eye health. Your optometrist will check your eye pressures, the health of your retina, the clarity of your natural lens, and eye alignment to check for conditions such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, retinopathy, cataract, and strabismus.
Your eye test will include:
Refraction: this is the test which checks your vision and determines your prescription for glasses or contact lenses.
Pressure check: if the pressure is too high or too low, this can cause damage to the eye. Your optometrist will check your pressures and give guidance if they are outside the normal range.
Slit lamp examination: your optometrist will do a series of examinations of your eye to check your overall eye health.
Yes! Our specialist optometrists are available for eye tests.
Most adults should have an eye test at least once every two years and children should have an eye test every year.
If you notice changes in your vision between eye tests or are concerned about your vision, you should schedule an appointment to have your vision checked.
Some people are at higher risk of developing eye conditions or problems with their sight. These groups include patients over 60 or those with a family history of glaucoma or age-related macular degeneration. If you are higher risk, then your optometrist may advise more regular check ups.
Moorfields has a specialist spectacle and contact lens dispensing service who work with patients with high or complex prescriptions.
You can also take your prescription to a high street or reputable online provider.
This includes the full eye test with the optometrist.
If you need an further diagnostic tests, these would be charged at an additional rate. The most commonly requested is an OCT scan: this is charged at £273.
Any onward referral or treatment would incur an additional cost.
if applicable, this will be provided after the eye test, based on your personalised treatment plan.
Please contact one of our optometrists directly to book an appointment. Their contact details can be found in our consultant directory.