Eye Examinations
We have invested in the latest technology to make your visit as quick and safe as possible while being really thorough. All our equipment and rooms are sanitised between each patient to keep you and us as safe as possible. Almost all our equipment allows the Optometrist to stay at least 1m from you. The exception is our slit lamp but we have fitted a breath shield and a HEPA air purifier with added UVC.
You’re welcome to ask as many questions as you want during your eye examination. Many of the tests are about establishing your “normal” and then comparing the results in future tests. It’s the small changes in these results that can provide warning of preventable trouble ahead.
We provide a comprehensive eye examination to all of our patients as part of our standard eye test. This comprehensive eye care examination involves a total examination of the front of your eye (using the WAM 800) and retinal imaging of the back of the eye (using the Optos and/or OCT). After this, your Optometrist will review the results; carry out any necessary extra testing and advise you on the most appropriate sight correction solution (if any is necessary).
The WAM examination of the front of your eye:
- Measures your prescription
- Calculates how much eye strain/stress reading a book or screen is causing you
- Shows how your vision is affected in low light e.g. driving at night
- Photographs your cataracts (if you have any) so you can see how they are changing
- Measures the shape of the cornea for custom contact lens fitting and orthokeratology (like laser surgery it corrects the corneal shape and helps stop children becoming more shortsighted)
- Measures some of your risks of glaucoma
and it does all of this in 90 seconds (for both eyes) without dilating drops or us needing to touch you. It is both painless and comfortable. It is also easy to clean, and we can operate it from a 1m+ distance in line social distancing guidelines or even remotely from another room.
The examination of the back of your eye involves retinal imaging using the Optos or OCT.
Using the Optos® Daytona plus we can get an Optomap of the back of the eye like never seen before! It gives a 200° field of view of your retina, compared to a standard Fundus camera. This is a much larger area as seen below.
The Optos Daytona Optomap is the best screening camera in the world. It gives a 200 degree view of the retina (back of the eye) without dilation and takes only seconds. It’s painless, comfortable and easily cleaned. It shows a much larger area of the retina compared to a standard Fundus camera as shown below.
The OCT (or Ocular Coherence Tomography) is incredibly clever and works like Ultrasound for the eyes. It doesn’t hurt and uses harmless light to form a 3D image of the most delicate bits of the eye.
This is invaluable for monitoring Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and unexplained vision changes. Often these are due to the Vitreous jelly detaching and pulling on the retina. It’s also very useful for monitoring people with a family history of glaucoma as early nerve damage is easier to spot. And the sooner it’s spotted the sooner our fantastic Bristol Eye Hospital can take control.
NHS Eligibility
Funding for a basic eye exam is provided by the NHS for eligible patients i.e. under 19’s in full time education and over 60’s; diabetics and glaucoma sufferers; people with parents or siblings with glaucoma and those on some benefits. The funding provided is for a basic exam every 2 years unless the vision has changed when you can book an earlier appointment.
Retinal imaging funding is not covered by the NHS. Therefore, if you are eligible for an NHS sight test then there is a small charge for retinal imaging. We want to be able to give you the most comprehensive eye examination and eye health check and this allows us to do so.
Currently, Bristol has no minor eye conditions (MECS) funding in place to pay screening for flashes and floaters, eyelashes in eyes etc. While we can sort these out for you we have to charge a small fee.