Our expert optometrists can offer a range of specialist vision testing if you need more than a standard eye exam.
Our in-depth eye testing and screening appointments use a variety of methods to check every aspect of your vision, and we have a range of services dedicated to patients with specific health concerns. We can monitor or treat any eye health issues, and spot symptoms of new problems early to help keep your vision at its best.
If you have no current concerns about your vision but want to a more in-depth check of your overall eye health, we recommend booking an Enhanced Eye Exam. This will test several aspects of your vision and is great if you are looking to be more informed about how to keep your eyes as healthy as possible.
Who Can Benefit from our Specialist Services?
Our specialist appointments are aimed at patients with a pre-existing health concern. Our optometrists can give preventative advice and treatment for minor eye problems, such as red or dry eyes, or eye strain caused by computer use, as well as monitoring and treating more serious issues like glaucoma, cataracts or macular degeneration.
We also offer assessments and monitoring for patients with long term issues, such as low vision, colour blindness or visual stress.
Our Services
What To Expect at Your Appointment
At the start of your first appointment, we'll take a family history and look at your lifestyle to see if there are any major risk factors we need to take into account. You'll also have time to discuss any specific symptoms or worries you might have about your eyesight.
We'll then take you through a range of tests to ensure we check every element of your eye health. These might include:
- Checking your distance and close up vision by asking you to read an eye chart.
- Adjusting your glasses prescription by trying out different lenses while reading the eye chart.
- Looking at an Amsler grid to check for distortions in your vision.
- Measuring your peripheral vision by asking you to spot flashing lights that appear to either side of you.
- Checking the back of your eye and the optic nerve by looking at your eyes through an ophthalmoscope.
- Using a slit lamp (a microscope attached to a bright light) to check the surface of your eye for damage or scratches.
- Using a tonometer to check the pressure inside your eyes by blowing a puff of air at them.
- Measuring the refraction of light entering your eye.
- Using coloured overlays or lenses to check your perception of contrast.
- Asking you to spot patterns or shapes in coloured dots to check colour vision.
- Digitally photographing your retina to check for damage; this can also show changes over time when compared to previous photos.
We'll only perform the tests we need to keep your eyes in their best health, so you won't have to complete every test each time you visit. Most patients find these processes very straightforward and easy, but some of the tests can be a little tricky as you'll have to avoid blinking or look directly at a bright light. Let us know if you need a break or want to stop; we can always move on and come back to a test later if needed.
What Happens Next?
After we've completed your exam, we'll usually be able to tell you our findings straight away.
Hopefully we won't have any concerns about your current eye health. In this case, we can discuss how you can keep your eyes healthy in the future, such as lifestyle changes, adjusting your working environment or upgrading your glasses to better suit your needs. We'll also adjust your glasses or contact lens prescription as needed.
If we've identified a minor issue that needs treatment, our highly qualified optometrists can recommend medication (for example, eye drops or ointments) and give advice about self-care such as eye baths or compresses.
If we've found a more serious issue, we can refer you to your GP or to the eye hospital for more in-depth testing and treatment. We can also refer patients to surgery for cataracts.
All of your results will be securely recorded and added to your file so we can refer back and monitor any changes over time at your future appointments.
