NHS eye care services

The following eye-care professionals work in opticians practices:

• Optometrists (also called ophthalmic opticians) carry out eye tests to check the quality of your sight. They look for signs of eye disease which may need treatment from a doctor or eye surgeon and prescribe and fit glasses and contact lenses. 
• Ophthalmic medical practitioners are medical doctors trained to carry out eye examinations and prescribe glasses. 
• Dispensing opticians fit glasses and contact lenses, but do not test eyes. They can give you advice on types of lens, such as single-vision or bifocal, and help you to choose frames. 

You qualify for a free NHS-funded sight test if you are:

• aged under 16, or aged 16 to 18 and in full-time education  
• aged 60 or over
• registered blind or partially sighted
• diagnosed with diabetes or glaucoma
• aged 40 or over and you are the parent, brother, sister, son or daughter of a person diagnosed with glaucoma, or you have been advised by an ophthalmologist that you are at risk of glaucoma
• eligible for an NHS complex lens voucher.

You are also entitled to a free NHS sight test if you:

• receive Income Support or Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (not contribution based)
• receive Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
• receive Income-based Employment and Support Allowance
• are entitled to, or named on, a valid NHS tax credit exemption certificate
• are named on a valid NHS certificate for full help with health costs (HC2)

People named on an NHS certificate for partial help with health costs (HC3) might also get help.

NHS-funded mobile sight tests

An NHS-funded mobile sight test is where an optometrist comes to visit you in your own home or at a day centre.

If you are eligible for an NHS-funded sight test, you may also be entitled to obtain mobile services if you meet one of the criteria listed below:

• At home
  If you are unable to leave home unaccompanied because of physical or mental illness or disability.
• At a residential or care home
  If you normally live there and are unable to leave the home unaccompanied because of physical or mental illness or disability.
• At a day centre
  If you would have difficulty travelling to an optician's practice because of physical or mental illness or disability or because of difficulties in communicating your health needs unaided.

You will be asked to show proof of your entitlement to free NHS sight tests.

If you do not fall within one of the eligible groups who are entitled to a free NHS sight test, you will need to pay for it privately. The cost of private sight tests can vary at each opticians practice and it is advisable to shop around.

Find out more about eye care entitlements section.

You may get help with the cost of spectacles or contact lenses if you:

• are aged under 16, or aged 16 to 18 and in full-time education or,
• are eligible for an NHS complex lens voucher (your optician will advise on your entitlement)

You may also get an NHS optical voucher if you:

• receive Income Support or Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (not contribution based)
• receive Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
• receive Income-based Employment and Support Allowance
• are entitled to, or named on, a valid NHS tax credit exemption certificate
• are named on a valid NHS certificate for full help with health costs (HC2)

People named on an NHS certificate for partial help with health costs (HC3) might also get help.

You will be asked to show proof of your entitlement to NHS optical vouchers.

There are currently eight voucher values. The values are dependent on the strength of your prescription – the higher your prescription the higher your voucher value. If you receive an NHS optical voucher, you are free to take this voucher and redeem it with an optician of your choice.

Find out more about eye care entitlements.

Eye problems are common in children but may not be noticed by parents. Therefore, it is very important that all children have their eyes tested, even if parents are not worried.

Children rarely complain about their sight, but often show symptoms of vision difficulties. Telltale signs include sitting close to the TV, rubbing their eyes, holding objects very close to their face, blinking a lot or one eye turning either in or out. If you think your child is experiencing any sort of sight problems, take him or her to an optician for a check-up as soon as possible.

All babies will have their eyes checked at birth and then at about six weeks of age by a GP or health visitor. Young children with suspected vision problems will be referred to an orthoptist (who is part of the eye care team and generally works closely with ophthalmologists and optometrists). Orthoptists work in local health clinics or hospital eye clinics. You may also see the ophthalmologist (eye doctor) and optometrist.

Once a child's vision has been checked and is shown to be normal, they should continue to have regular eye checks around every two years because problems can occur at any age.

If you are concerned about your child’s vision, arrange an appointment with a local optometrist (optometrists see children of any age). Many concerns can be resolved completely by the optometrist without the need to refer your child to a specialist (an orthoptist or ophthalmologist), although the optometrist will refer your child to a specialist if they feel it is necessary.

The NHS wants to ensure that all children have vision screening for amblyopia (lazy eye) during their first year at school. This is important because many children will not realise that they have a lazy eye, and parents will not normally be able to see it by just looking at the child. It is recommended that all children are offered screening between the ages of four and five by an orthoptist-led service to assess their vision and likely future requirements. 

The earlier any problems are picked up, the better the outcome. If you have any concerns about your child's eyes, or if there is a history of squint or lazy eye in the family, it is important that you do not wait for the vision screening at school. Take your child to a local optometrist for a sight test.

Children do not have to be able to read to have their eyes examined. It is possible to see whether the child has a squint or needs glasses just by looking at their eyes with special equipment, and without asking them any questions. Eye examinations do not hurt.

Children under the age of 16 can get free eye examinations under the NHS.

Some children, especially younger ones, might need eyedrops for their eye test. This will be given by the optometrist, orthoptist or ophthalmologist. Once put in, the drops need about 30 minutes before they fully work.

Eyedrops make the pupils larger so that the back of the eye can be seen properly. It also relaxes the focusing mechanism in the eye so that the prescription for glasses (if needed) can be as accurate as possible.

Once the drops start working your child might complain that the light is too bright. You could bring sunglasses or a brimmed hat or cap for them to use afterwards. Some children may also feel that their vision is blurred or fuzzy. This is because the drops make it impossible to focus on things. There is nothing that can be done about this but it will improve as the drops wear off.

Eyedrops start to wear off after about six to 10 hours and are usually fully worn off within 16 to 24 hours.

About one in 10,000 children react to the drops with hyperactivity. This effect is only temporary and will wear off as soon as the drops wear off. If your child does have a reaction to the eyedrops, your optometrist, orthoptist or ophthalmologist should inform your GP. They will add a note to your child's records so that similar medications are not prescribed in future. 

If you are not happy with the service or treatment provided by your optician, optometrist (also called an ophthalmic optician) or dispensing optician, you have the right to make a complaint.

Wherever possible, complaints should be made directly to the optician, as it may be possible to sort out the problem straight away. If the matter cannot be resolved, however, or if you would prefer to talk to someone who is not involved with the optician concerned, you can complain to your local primary care trust (PCT) that commissioned the NHS service or write to either the:

Optical Consumer Complaints Service (OCCS)
PO Box 219
Petersfield
Hampshire GU32 9BY

Telephone: 0844 800 5071
Fax: 01730 265 058
Email: postbox@opticalcomplaints.co.uk

or if the complaint is about an optometrist or dispensing optician:

General Optical Council (GOC)
41 Harley Street
London
W1G 8DJ

Telephone: 020 7580 3898
Fax: 020 7436 3525
Email: goc@optical.org

If you are unable to complain for yourself, someone else (usually a relative or close friend) can complain for you. The OCCS will require a written authority from you or the authorised representative before the complaint can be registered. It is also important that any complaint is made as soon as possible after the event.

If the complaint is about an ophthalmic medical practitioner, it should be made to the General Medical Council.

You can find detailed information about the NHS complaints procedure on this site.