Why You Should Get Your Eyes Tested Before Autumn Arrives

More from That's Health on looking after your vision.

As summer draws to a close, many of us start thinking about preparing for autumn. 

We check the heating, dig out warmer clothes and perhaps start preparing the garden for colder weather.

But there's another check worth putting on your autumn list: your eyesight.

Having an eye examination before the darker months arrive can be particularly worthwhile, and it isn't simply about discovering whether you need new glasses.

The darker evenings are coming

During autumn, daylight hours rapidly shorten. That means more driving, walking and everyday activities taking place in lower light.

You might have perfectly adequate vision on a bright summer afternoon but discover that reading road signs or judging distances becomes noticeably more difficult after dusk.

Problems such as glare from headlights can also become more apparent when you're driving in darkness or wet weather. Or if you are walking glare from headlights causes you problems.

If you've noticed that night driving isn't as comfortable as it once was, don't simply put it down to getting older. Mention it during your eye examination.

An eye test can reveal more than poor eyesight

A comprehensive eye examination isn't simply about deciding whether you need glasses.

An optometrist examines the health of your eyes and can sometimes identify signs of conditions including cataracts and glaucoma. Eye examinations can also reveal changes that warrant further medical investigation.

That's particularly important because some eye diseases can develop without obvious symptoms during their earlier stages.

Has your prescription changed?

Eyesight can change gradually, which means we don't always notice it happening.

You may compensate by holding books further away, increasing the text size on your phone, sitting closer to the television or avoiding driving after dark.

A new prescription could make an enormous difference to everyday comfort.

And if your glasses are scratched, damaged or several years old, this is a good opportunity to have them checked too.

Think about screen use

Many of us now spend hours looking at computers, tablets and smartphones, particularly people working from home. Including bloggers!

Screens don't necessarily damage healthy eyes simply through normal use, but prolonged close work can contribute to tired, uncomfortable or dry eyes.

Remember the 20-20-20 rule: roughly every 20 minutes, look at something around 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. Regular blinking and sensible breaks can help too.

Children need good vision for school

September is also an excellent time to think about children's eyesight.

A child may not realise that their vision is poorer than everybody else's because, to them, that's simply what the world looks like.

Difficulty reading a classroom board, headaches, eye strain, sitting very close to screens or struggling with schoolwork can sometimes be associated with an eyesight problem.

Regular eye examinations can therefore be an important part of children's health care.

Don't wait for your routine appointment if something is wrong

Routine eye examinations are important, but some symptoms shouldn't wait.

Seek urgent professional advice if you experience a sudden loss or significant change in vision, new flashes or a sudden increase in floaters, a dark curtain or shadow across your vision, severe eye pain, or a painful red eye accompanied by changes in vision.

Depending on the circumstances, contact an optometrist, NHS 111 or an appropriate urgent eye-care service. Serious or sudden symptoms may require emergency treatment.

Put an eye test on your autumn checklist

We routinely arrange MOTs for our cars and have boilers serviced before winter, yet it's surprisingly easy to neglect something as important as our eyesight.

So, before the clocks change and those long autumn evenings arrive, consider booking an eye examination.

Even if the result is simply "Everything looks fine, see you next time", that's reassuring news worth having.

And if something has changed, finding out now could make the darker months ahead considerably clearer.

That’s Health note: Eye examination frequency depends on your age, health, family history and individual risk factors. Follow the interval recommended by your optometrist, and seek professional advice sooner if you notice changes in your eyesight or eye health.

Buying Glasses for Less: Should You Take Your Prescription Somewhere Else?

You've had your eyes tested, been handed your new prescription and then started looking at frames, only to discover that the glasses you fancy could cost considerably more than you expected.

But here's something worth remembering: you don't have to buy your spectacles from the optician who tested your eyes.

In the UK, following your sight test, your optometrist must provide your prescription, and you're free to take it elsewhere. The NHS specifically advises you shouldn't feel obliged to buy your glasses from the practice that performed your eye examination.

That opens up several possibilities, including independent spectacle dispensers and online glasses retailers.

Shopping around could save money

Glasses can become expensive remarkably quickly.

Start with a frame, add prescription lenses, perhaps choose thinner lenses, anti-reflective coatings, photochromic lenses or varifocals, and the final bill can be very different from the price displayed beside the frame.

Taking your prescription elsewhere allows you to compare the complete price, rather than assuming your optometrist's practice is your only option.

An independent dispensing optician may offer frames and lenses at competitive prices while still providing face-to-face measurements, fitting and subsequent adjustments. Registered dispensing opticians are regulated healthcare professionals trained to advise on and fit spectacles according to an individual's visual and lifestyle requirements.

What about buying glasses online?

Online spectacle companies can be extremely tempting, particularly for straightforward single-vision prescriptions.

Advantages can include lower prices, huge frame selections, easy price comparisons and the convenience of ordering without leaving home.

For someone who knows the size and style of frame they like and has a relatively uncomplicated prescription, online glasses can potentially provide an inexpensive second pair, reading glasses or prescription sunglasses.

There is, however, a significant catch.

Your prescription isn't necessarily every measurement required to make your glasses properly.

For example, your pupillary distance, the measurement used to help position the lenses correctly in relation to your eyes, isn't legally required to appear on the prescription provided following your eye examination. Responsibility for properly centring the lenses rests with whoever supplies the spectacles.

Some online companies therefore ask customers to take measurements themselves.

When professional fitting becomes more important

The stronger or more complicated your prescription, the more cautious you should be about choosing glasses purely on price.

The Association of Optometrists particularly highlights high prescriptions, varifocals and substantial differences between the two eyes as situations where accurate measurements are important.

Varifocals are a good example. The positioning of the different viewing areas within the lenses needs to correspond properly with your eyes and the way the frame sits on your face.

There's evidence for exercising caution online. Research cited by the College of Optometrists found spectacles bought online were more likely to fail optical tolerance testing than those supplied through high-street practices. Participants nevertheless identified lower prices, convenience and clearer pricing among the attractions of buying online.

Don't forget the importance of fit

There's another difference that has nothing to do with your prescription.

A pair of glasses needs to fit your face.

Frames that constantly slide down your nose, pinch behind your ears or sit crookedly can become thoroughly irritating.

A good dispensing optician can adjust the sides, nose pads and general position of the frame and check how the spectacles sit once the finished lenses have been fitted.

That's harder to reproduce when your glasses arrive through the post.

Don't confuse buying glasses with having your eyes tested

Perhaps the most important point is that saving money on spectacles shouldn't mean skipping regular eye examinations.

An eye examination isn't merely a means of obtaining a prescription. It's also an opportunity for an optometrist to examine your eye health and identify changes which may need further investigation.

So by all means shop around after you've been properly examined.

The That's Health verdict

There's no single answer suitable for everybody.

For a straightforward prescription, an established online supplier could offer substantial convenience and savings. An independent spectacle fitter may provide an attractive middle ground: competitive prices combined with professional measuring, fitting and aftercare.

For high prescriptions, varifocals, unusual requirements or situations where accurate positioning is particularly important, the advantages of face-to-face professional dispensing become much greater.

And remember to compare like with like. Ask what lenses are included, what coatings you're getting, whether thinning is included, what happens if the glasses aren't right and whether adjustments and aftercare are provided.

Your eyesight is too important to choose glasses solely because they're cheap – but that doesn't mean you have to pay more than necessary.

That’s Health note: This article is intended as general information rather than individual optical or medical advice. Continue to have your eyes examined at the intervals recommended by your optometrist and seek professional advice if you experience changes in your vision.

One particularly useful point for readers receiving help with optical costs is that NHS optical vouchers can be taken to a supplier of their choice provided that supplier accepts them. 

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/opticians/nhs-voucher-values-for-glasses-and-lenses

The picture that could save your life (Part of The That's Health Diabetes Series)

SPECSAVERS customers can now benefit from a potentially lifesaving health-assessment service, thanks to the installation of state-of-the-art fundus cameras in stores all over the UK.

What is a fundus camera? The fundus camera is actually a very clever and specialised microscope with an attached camera. It is designed to take a photograph of the interior surface of the eye, which is called the fundus, this is the only part of the human body where microcirculation of the blood can be observed directly.

Paul Carroll, director of professional services for Specsavers, says: ‘The fundus camera can play a vital role in the early diagnosis and management of many conditions, which can lead to blindness if not detected at an early stage. Some are potentially life-threatening.

"The fundus camera broadens the testing process to deliver a more in-depth health assessment for the customer. It also enables the patient to see the image, which helps them gain a greater understanding of the test. It is then retained as a record, to help monitor any changes over a prolonged period."

The free service is offered as part of an eye examination for customers aged over 40 or in cases where the optician or GP recommends it.

All Specsavers optometrists are trained to spot a range of health conditions as part of an eye examination. The use of the fundus camera broadens the testing process, enabling the detection of signs of glaucoma, diabetes, inflammatory disorders, age-related macular degeneration and vascular occlusions, as well as brain tumours, heart disease, high cholesterol, detached retinas and hypertension or high blood pressure. It is also used in retinal screening programmes.

Mr Carroll continues: "Our eyesight changes over time so it’s vital people come in for an eye examination at least once every two years. That’s even more important for higher risk groups, like the over 60s, diabetics and people with a family history of glaucoma."

To find your nearest store call 0800 068 0241 or visit www.specsavers.co.uk.

FACTFILE:
Specsavers was founded by Doug and Dame Mary Perkins in 1984 and is now the largest privately owned opticians in the world.

The couple still run the company, with their three children. Their son John is joint managing director
Specsavers has almost 1,600 stores throughout the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norw ay, Finland, Denmark, Spain, Australia and New Zealand.

Annual turnover for the Specsavers Group was £1.36 billion for 2009/10 and is forecast to reach £1.55 billion in 2010/11.

Specsavers optical stores and hearing centres are owned and run by joint venture or franchise partners. Together, they offer both optical and hearing services under one roof.

Specsavers employs over 26,000 members of staff.

Specsavers was voted Britain’s most trusted brand of opticians for the tenth year running by the Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands survey 2010.
More than one in three people who wear glasses in the UK buy them from Specsavers  – 9,700,000 glasses were exported from the warehouse to stores in 2009.

Specsavers was ranked No 1 for both eye tests and glasses in the UK.


Specsavers is the largest retail provider of home delivery contact lenses in Europe and one of the top two retail suppliers of continuous wear lenses in the world.

Specsavers is now the largest retail dispenser of digital hearing aids in the UK and offers a hearing service from more than 400 locations.

Specsavers supports numerous optical and hearing charities, including Guide Dogs and Hearing Dogs for Deaf People. During its three-year support for Diabetes UK it raised more than £250,000 to fund various projects.

Since 2003 over a quarter of a million glasses have been collected and recycled by Specsavers stores for Vision Aid Overseas, for use in developing countries. Specsavers has raised over £370,000 for the charity since 2006, with almost £245,000 going towards its work in Zambia.

Which? report: Independent opticians better trusted with UK’s eye care

Independent opticians are a safer place for people to have their eyes tested and get new glasses – as claimed in a new Which? report.

Richard Pakey,a self-styled champion of the UK’s 3,000 independent opticians, has welcomed the consumer report.

In a number of tests, researchers got a higher standard of eye test from independents than they did at the big chains.

Richard is the founder of specialist optical growth company Independent Practice Growth UK and himself a dispensing optician.

He said: “This clearly shows smaller opticians can offer higher standards of eye healthcare.

“That’s not a big surprise. When you use an independent optician, you are highly likely to be dealing with a business that is being run by the owner.

“When someone’s name is above the door there is a higher level of pride in the work that is done. I know hundreds of independent opticians, and most take personal responsibility for the quality of eye healthcare in the practice.”

He added: “That’s different from the big chains, where you typically deal with different employees at every visit, who just want to process you quickly to hit targets.

“Is that really how we want eye healthcare to be in this country? Or do we want people to build up long-term healthcare relationships with experts who own the businesses they are dealing with?”

Richard pointed out that a visit to the opticians isn’t just about identifying and correcting vision problems.

Eye tests can also detect diseases such as glaucoma, diabetes and high blood pressure.

He believes that the free eye tests and 2 for 1 glasses deals advertised by the chains should be banned, as they make people devalue the importance of regular eye tests.

Richard said: “When you regularly visit a trusted independent optician who knows your history you will actually see much better value for money with more thorough eye exams, more time to ask questions and generally a higher level of care.”

Richard Pakey owns two independent opticians practices in Hertfordshire & Essex.

He founded Independent Practice Growth UK to help other practice owners fight back against the multiples and cheap glasses websites.

Richard’s first book “It’s Time to Fight Back” was published in February 2011.

(EDITOR: Banned? What? Like in a communist society with no freedom of choice? From that remark Richard could be seen as wanting to go back to the bad old days when we wearers of glasses had no choice but to visit the only optician in our town, no matter how good or how bad he was, or how expensive.

Whilst there are horror stories about some large chains -for example, there is one who offers a 60 minute service that in reality takes three weeks, yet you are still charged a premium price for the non-existent 60 minute service!- there are also plenty of horror stories about independent opticians who ruin expensive frames because they decide to repair them with non-standard parts on the basis of: "that will do, they'll never know I did it"  or who have over-charged someone by 300% for what was in reality a fairly cheap pair of frames. And Specsavers, although apparently a national chain is, in reality, hundreds of local opticians all working as part of the Specsavers brand.)

Specsavers, a quick, efficient service

Specsavers offers a quick, efficient service that provides a happy marriage between technology and good, old-fashioned values of customer service.

There's a free SMS reminder service that sends customers a message the day before the appointment reminding patients of not only the date but the time. Ideal for those of us who lead such busy lives that we rarely remember what day it is, let alone remember the date and time of an appointment with the optician!

The service is reasonably quick and the service fast and, in general, friendly. At all points we got the impression that they were asking all the right questions. And performing the right tests, not always the case with all opticians.

As with all Specsaver branches the prices are prominently displayed, so you know exactly what price you can expect to pay at all stages of the process. Incidentally, if you have a favourite frame, these can- usually- be re-glazed at £39. And their are usually special deals such as 2 for 1, etc.

The examination process is very thorough, including the pre-test and the eye test and examination itself. At all times and at all stages patients are treated professionally by professionals.

Retinal photographs are now taken as standard, this is -unlike with some other High Street opticians- included free of charge.

There is a nice range of frames available, though I got the impression that larger branches might have better ranges, though I am sure staff will do their best to ensure you are happy. Frames available range from the very basic to some fairly nice designer frames.

One disappointment was that the facility to allow patients to check out how they looked in a new frame wasn't working due to a fault. Perhaps it would make sense to have a digital camera available for such an eventuality?

We would like to thank Telford Specsavers for their assistance in researching this article.

Specsavers. Saves you time, saves you money

A while ago a workmate was complaining about her visit to a well-known chain of opticians. It seems -though they unhelpfully forgot to mention this to her when she paid up front for her spectacles, they no longer offered  the one hour service that they boast about in their adverts.

In point of fact in the end it took them the best part of two weeks to have her glasses made. And even then, somehow,  they had managed to fit the lenses the wrong way round!

I looked at her and said: "How much did that lost cost you?" When she told me I said: "You should have gone to Specsavers! Like I did!"

She was shocked that my really very funky and high quality designer frames were from Specsavers. But they were. She was also somewhat put out by the price I paid. Only a fraction of what she had paid for, in my opinion, an inferior service.

My trip to Specsavers in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, was an eye-opener. (Sorry!) But it really was. The eye-test was one of the most thorough I have had in many years and the staff and the optician clearly all knew their jobs inside out. The optician was  professional and very careful in what he did. I knew my eyes were in good, capable hands.

 

They also provide a free text service when the day before your appointment telling you the date and time of your appointment. Very handy, especially as I had got the right day but the wrong time firmly fixed in my head!

The employee who helped me with the frames was also very good. She was able to point out that I was able to get a pair of sunglasses included in the price. And that included some rather snazzy Animal frames that I liked the look of!

The glasses were ready for collection in a little over a week and the fitting service was excellent.
All the way through the process I knew exactly what price I would be paying as it is always in front of you. Literally speaking, that is. Specsavers make a point of ensuring there's no room for doubt. No room for sudden price rises after the deal is done. Specsavers (unlike some opticians) don't work that way. You will always know the price you are to pay. And it is substantially less than other large opticians.

Prices can vary from budget options for about £30, Two for one offers from £69. If you want to go for designer frames, they start at £99. Varifocal lenses do not cost extra. They also offer contact lenses and some have hearing aid centres attached, too.