Finding the right place to have your routine eye test to be done is a relatively simple and straightforward process, as there are many independent optician services along with the well-known national chains that all of us are familiar with. Your choice, however, can make a difference to the health of your eyes and the service you get.
This is because although we associate the term ‘optician’ with an eye health specialist, in reality the only professionals that are licensed to carry out the eye tests that we are used to getting are ophthalmic practitioners. These individuals are able to examine your eyes and evaluate your vision and level of eye health.
Before you book your appointment at an optician’s practice that you have never been to before, check the level of qualification of the optician you will be seeing. If they are an ophthalmic medical practitioner or an optometrist, they are fully qualified and trained to take care of your eye health.
One of the main reasons that individuals book an appointment with any given optician is the fact that many now offer a free eye test. Indeed, this can be a great way to get your eyes cared for as well as make some savings, as it is recommended in the that you see one of these professionals every two years in order to monitor your vision and make sure there are no eye problems.
If you are looking for a free eye test. you need to remember one thing: do not let the fact that the service is free persuade you to choose a practice that doesn’t offer the standard or range of care that you want or need, even if it saves you money!
Eye health is important as vision cannot normally be restored after it has been lost, so taking care of your eyes by seeing a reputed practitioner could increase your likelihood of catching any eye problems early and slowing down or stopping the progression of any conditions.
That being said, taking advantage of a free eye test or else where in the country should definitely be taken advantage of if you otherwise do not have the funds for the more premium medical eye services.
To make sure that your optician is a reputable one, ask around family and friends for their opinions on the practice that you are considering visiting for your eye appointment. As with doctors and dentists, people are normally happy to provide their advice on the best healthcare professionals in the area to visit.
If you are unable to get a recommendation from family and friends, it is a good idea to look for independent reviews on the internet from websites such as Trust Pilot and Fee Fo, as many of these provide genuine customer reviews that can give you real insight into whether or not the optician that you are looking at provides a high standard of care.
You should also consider whether they can provide you with a full range of services to meet your requirements. If you’re are a contact lens wearer, this can mean adding a contact lens check to your routine eye test, but be careful as this is normally not included in the free eye test that many opticians offer.
If you wear glasses, you may require a store that has a large range of spectacles at a variety of different price points. You may also require extra thin lenses, scratch-resistant coatings and more, so check that your optician of choice can offer these if they are requirements for you.
In summary, choose an optician that is fully qualified and able to deliver the full range of services that you require in order to protect your eye health, as this is of utmost importance. Do not be afraid to take up an offer of a free eye test, but do not let it be your only criteria when making your choice.
