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Open Day – 3rd February 2012
DW Roberts are holding an Open Day at the newly refitted Stony Stratford practice on Friday 3rd February. Get 25% discount on your frames when purchased with Nikon lenses that day. PLUS purchase spectacles at DW Roberts Stony Stratford on … Continue reading
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The Eye Examination
Our Commitment to your eye care
DW Roberts Opticians are committed to providing a first-class, professional and caring eye care service to all of our valued patients. With five optical practices at Bletchley, Newport Pagnell, Stony Stratford, Towcester and Wolverton and over 60 years optical experience – we are your local, independent optician.
We also cover the wider areas of Milton Keynes, Buckingham, Brackley, North Buckinghamshire and South Northamptonshire. Contact us today for advice or to make an appointment for an eye examination.
Find our more about an eye test…
- What is involved in an eye examination?
- Whether you qualify for a free NHS eye examination?
- What your prescription means?
- Sight conditions and their corrections
- Regular eye tests
What is involved in an eye examination?
The eye examination will start with a few questions to enable our optometrist to tailor your sight test to your individual needs. Then a series of tests will be carried out by the optometrist. Towards the end of the examination you will be offered advice, if any is needed, on the visual correction and/or further investigation into any conditions found.
- Vision Checks
- Our optometrist will use a letter chart to investigate your level of vision, with and without glasses. An alternative to using letters is picture recognition. We will then cross reference these results with data from any prior visits you have made.
- Refraction
- We use a tool known as a retinoscope plus subjective tests to determine your prescription.
- Ocular Eye Check
- A full eye examination places emphasis on internal and external eye health. For this check our optometrist may use an instrument called an ophthalmoscope or a slit-lamp. Many ocular structures are critically assessed here for a normal appearance; the slit-lamp provides greater illumination and magnification if required. It is usual for the majority of patients to be healthy but if we detect any significant symptoms of disease the patient will be referred to an ophthalmologist via their GP or direct to the local hospital.
- Pressure Check (often referred to as the Glaucoma Test)
- This test uses an instrument called a tonometer which measures the pressure within the eye. The pressure check is usually done on patients over the age of 40. Intraocular pressure is like blood pressure. If it is unusually high (or low) there may be no symptoms yet the potential consequences for health can be significant. A higher than average pressure may increase the risk of developing a number of ocular complications, the most well known of these is glaucoma.
Glaucoma is just one condition which has no noticeable external effect on the patient. For this reason we recommended that you return to our practice every two years (unless otherwise advised by your optometrist) for regular health checks – even if you do not wear glasses!
Do you qualify for an NHS eye examination?
You may be entitled to a free NHS eye test. Currently, children under the age of 16, or 19 if still in full time education, and adults over 60 are entitled to an eye test paid for by the NHS. DW Roberts carry out both NHS and private eye examinations.
What your lens prescription means
At the end of the eye examination you will receive a copy of your glasses prescription. This will list the lenses recommended for your spectacles to give you optimum vision. The parts of the prescription listed below will not be applicable to all patients.
- Sphere: the part of the prescription that corrects long sight or short sight
- Cylinder: the part of the prescription that corrects any astigmatism
- Axis: determines orientation of cylinder
- Prism: the correction needed (if any) to align the eyes so they are straight and working together.
- Reading add: an additional power to enable more comfortable reading
Your prescription may be corrected with glasses or contact lenses. Different types of frames and lenses will be suited to your particular needs. If you would like to know more, please discuss your prescription with our staff who will be willing to answer any of your questions.
Sight conditions and their corrections
Here is an explanation of some sight conditions and their corrections. We hope they add to your understanding of conditions that can be identified in an eye examination.
- Myopia or short sightedness: near objects will be clear but distant objects appear blurred. Concave lenses/contact lenses correct this sight condition. Myopia can occur at any age and is thought to have a genetic link. If your parents wear glasses, it is recommended you have regular sight tests.
- Hyperopia or long sightedness: distant objects appear clear but near objects appear blurred. Convex lenses/contact lenses correct this sight condition. Hyperopia may develop at any age, but it may become more noticeable when people reach their late 40's.
- Astigmatism: is when your eye is a 'rugby ball' shape instead of completely spherical. This is a very common condition, prevalent in a majority of the population. This can be corrected with certain lenses. Toric contact lenses are also available for astigmatism.
- Presbyopia: this term describes the natural ageing process of the eye. As we age, the focusing power of the eye gradually reduces; making it harder to focus at near, resulting in blurred vision. This perfectly normal and natural ageing process can be corrected with reading glasses, bifocals or varifocals.
If you are experiencing any problems with your vision, please book an appointment.
Regular Eye Tests
Perhaps the most important point to make is that regular eye examinations will help you keep your vision performing at its best achievable level and early signs of changes requiring further investigation will be identified. We pride ourselves on the continuity of care we can offer you so please, feel free to ask our staff for advice or discuss any concerns you may have about any aspect of your eyecare.