Plain-English guides from your optician, from NHS entitlement to everyday eye health.
You qualify if you are
Free test plus help with glasses if you receive Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, Working Tax Credit (with an NHS exemption card), income-based Employment and Support Allowance, or hold a valid NHS HC2 certificate. An HC3 certificate may give partial help.
Not sure? Ask us and we will check for you.
Your eyes do not make enough tears, the tears are poor quality, or they evaporate too quickly. This causes a gritty or burning feeling and can disturb your vision.
Symptoms: dryness, burning, itchy or gritty eyes, irritation from wind or smoke, blurred or smeary vision, red or tired eyes, watery eyes, light sensitivity and contact lens discomfort.
Causes: ageing, blepharitis, dry environments, computer use, contact lenses, laser eye surgery, preservatives, hormonal changes (especially menopause), conditions such as arthritis and Sjögren’s syndrome, and some medicines.
Treatment depends on you. It may mean changing what is around you, such as taking screen breaks and avoiding air conditioning, plus artificial tears to improve the quantity and quality of your tears.
Inflammation of the eyelids, where oils and secretions build up on the lid edge and lashes, causing irritation and redness. Anterior blepharitis affects the outer front edge of the lid. Posterior blepharitis affects the inner edge and the oil glands.
Signs: irritation, burning, tearing, a foreign body sensation, crusty debris, dryness and red lid margins.
Treatment: daily lid hygiene is the key, a routine like brushing your teeth. Warm compresses, cleansing and lid massage help, and sometimes antibiotics. If dryness follows, dry eye treatment may be recommended.
Damage to the optic nerve that gradually steals peripheral vision and can lead to tunnel vision or blindness. It is the second most common cause of blindness and often has no symptoms. Risk rises from age 40, with family history, ancestry and high short sight. Early detection through regular tests is essential.
The macula is the part of the retina at the back of the eye that handles fine detail such as reading, writing and looking at photographs. In AMD the support cells become less efficient and waste builds up, affecting central vision. It is the leading cause of sight loss in over-65s in Western countries.
Wet AMD: new blood vessels grow and cause rapid central vision loss. Dry AMD: slow, progressive change that can develop into wet AMD.
Higher risk: over 65, smokers, an unbalanced diet, obesity.
Eye test frequency: every two years from 18 to 70, yearly over 70, and more often if advised.
The lens gradually becomes less clear with age, so less light passes through. You may notice glare, halos around lights, difficulty driving at night, and blurred or cloudy vision. Most common over 70. Hundreds of thousands of people are treated successfully each year, and whether you need treatment depends on how much your sight is affected.
Diabetes can damage the small blood vessels in the retina (diabetic retinopathy) and raises the risk of glaucoma and cataracts. Regular screening and optician check-ups are essential.
Sight that cannot be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, surgery or medication, caused by conditions such as AMD, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataracts. It can make reading, writing, watching television, recognising faces and daily tasks harder.
Low vision aids, including magnifiers and non-optical products, help you use the sight you have. They are issued after an assessment of your condition and needs.
The cornea bulges outward into a cone shape. Early on it looks like short sight or astigmatism. A typical sign is ghost images around objects. You may also notice light sensitivity, itchiness and poorer night vision.
Treatment: mild cases are corrected with glasses or soft contact lenses. As it progresses, rigid gas permeable lenses and specialist lenses help. In advanced cases a corneal transplant is a common, safe and effective operation, though you may still need glasses or lenses afterwards.
Discomfort and blurred vision after two or more hours on digital devices. Nearly 70% of adults report symptoms. Tiredness and dryness are the most common, because we blink less when concentrating on a screen.
What helps: blink more, follow the 20/20/20 rule (every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds), increase text size and adjust your workstation distance.
Computer glasses, filters, anti-fatigue lenses and updated contact lenses can also help. Book an appointment to talk through your options.
Frequent headaches are a good reason for an eye test. Astigmatism, long sight and presbyopia are common causes, and glasses or contact lenses can fix them. Staring at screens and poor lighting can also bring headaches on. Ear, jaw and sinus problems, arthritis and high blood pressure are other causes.
Watery, itchy eyes all year or by season. Pollen, ragweed and grass are seasonal triggers. Pet dander and dust mites are year-round. An optician can tell allergy apart from a stye or contagious conjunctivitis.
Along with any prescribed treatment, avoid your triggers, and consider leaving outdoor shoes at the door to keep pollen out of the house.
Tiny specks, threads or cobweb shapes drifting across your vision. They are real debris in the vitreous, the jelly inside your eye. The most common cause is age-related change in the vitreous.
Get urgent help if you suddenly notice new floaters or flashes of light. They can signal a retinal tear or detachment, which risks sight loss.
Most floaters need no treatment and fade into the background. For severe cases an eye specialist may discuss laser therapy or surgery (vitrectomy), each with limits and risks.
Causes include blockage from birth (about one in five babies), narrowing with age, infection, injury and, rarely, growths. Signs are watery eyes, recurring infection, discharge, pain or swelling at the inner corner, and blurred vision.
In babies it often clears within the first year. Otherwise, dilation, probing and irrigation are used, with a stent for stubborn cases in adults.
Light focuses in front of the retina, so distant objects look blurred while near ones are clear. It can cause headaches and eye strain. High short sight raises the risk of retinal detachment, cataract and glaucoma.
Light focuses behind the retina, so near objects such as phones and books are blurred. Squinting can cause headaches. Glasses or contact lenses correct it easily.
An irregular shape to the cornea or lens blurs objects, and squinting to focus can bring on headaches. It is easily corrected with glasses or contact lenses.
The natural lens loses flexibility with age. By your mid-40s you will probably need reading glasses even if you never needed glasses before, and distance wearers need bifocals, varifocals or contact lenses for close work.
The best lenses depend on how often you wear them, for how long each day, and your prescription. Options range from daily disposables to specialist lenses for unusual prescriptions. A free trial lets us talk through your preferences, costs and a home trial.
Daily disposables cost under £1 a pair, and if you wear them occasionally a box of 30 can last months. Monthly lenses work out under 50p a day for regular wearers using them five to seven days a week.
Extended wear lenses can be worn day and night for up to 30 days, but they need a special prescription and a health and safety check. Free trials are available, subject to your prescription and a current sight test. Call 0330 333 6290 or book online.
This is general information and not a diagnosis. If you notice sudden changes in your sight, flashes or new floaters, get advice straight away.