1. How often should I have a Eye Exam?

At Seventeen The Opticians we recommend that you have your eyes checked once every 18 months to 2 Years, but this may vary depending upon the nature of your prescription. At the very least, you should have your sight checked once per two years. Should you wear contact lenses, a more frequent interval of every 12 months is advised. These recommended intervals assume that you are not experiencing any symptoms of visual change.

An NHS subsidised eye exam is allowed every 2 years according to current guidelines, but some exceptions apply. Our qualified staff members are able to advise on your eligibility.

2. Will my sight worsen if I start wearing specs or contact lenses?

Wearing a prescription does not make your vision worse. Often when someone gets spectacles for the first time the visual improvement is so amazing that vision without them seems much worse, especially as time goes by. However, this is simply because the brain can now compare two images directly: one with specs and one without. Prior to this it had nothing against which a comparison could be made and therefore the vision did not seem quite so fuzzy, when in fact it was. Both nature (your genes) and nurture (life’s influence on you) have their roles to play and their interaction will decide the way your eyes will change with time.

3. How long will the eye exam take?

This should take approximately 30 minutes assuming no extra tests or contact lens fittings are required. We endeavour to have completed our examination within an hour.

4. What does the 20/20 eye exam involve?

An Eye Exam allows the optometrist to:

• Determine any relevant prescription for your eyes (long or short-sighted, astigmatic, presbyopic)

• Check that the muscles of the eyes work together

• Check your Eye Health and screen for any associated general health problems

• Perform any further testing as deemed necessary like Eye Pressures, Visual Fields, Colour Vision or Pupil Dilation

This is achieved through a series of procedures including retinal imaging, sight testing and checking the health using special instrumentation. For more information, please see the Seventeen The Opticians Eye Examination.

5. What is Retinal Imaging?

The retinal scanner allows us to photograph a very wide or panoramic picture of the back of your eyes. Any eye or associated health problems can be identified. Prevention is always better than cure and in using the Retinal Imaging at Seventeen The Opticians, retinal detachments, retinal holes, papilloedema (risen intracranial pressure) and malignant melanomas have been identified and referred for treatment.

6. Am I entitled to a free NHS sight test and NHS vouchers?

Your eligibility is subject to certain conditions. Please contact the Practice for more information.

7. What are your opening hours?

Monday 10.00am – 4.45pm

Tuesday 10.00am – 4.45pm

Wednesday CLOSED

Thursday 10.00am – 4.45pm

Friday 10.00am – 4.45pm

Saturday 9.00am – 3.00pm

8. What is the difference between 20/20 and 6/6 vision?

No difference! Both of these fractions denote perfect sight. 20/20 is the imperial version measured in feet whilst 6/6 is the metric equivalent in metres.

9. What is the difference between an ophthalmologist and an optometrist?

Ophthalmologists are sometimes known as eye surgeons or eye specialists as they concentrate on diagnosing and treating eye diseases. They are essentially medical doctors that specialise in eyes and may perform surgery and prescribe medication as they see fit. Some also undertake the prescription of spectacles, contact lenses and recommend eye exercises, although this is quite rare. Optometrists will screen for eye and associated diseases and refer to ophthalmologists if necessary. However, they concentrate on spectacle and contact lens prescriptions. Some specialise in eye exercises to improve eye muscle conditions, paediatrics where they deal only with children, sports vision and low vision where help may be given in the form of telescopes and magnifiers.

10. What is LASIK surgery?

LASIK stands for Laser In Situ Keratomileusis. It is a form of refractive surgery, which corrects short or long-sightedness and astigmatism. It cannot correct presbyopia, but treatment is sometimes aimed at leaving one eye slightly short-sighted in order to account for this condition. For more information on presbyopia. LASIK can only be performed by an eye surgeon. Use is made of a microsurgical instrument to create a flap through the cornea (front part of the eye). Once the flap is moved out of the way, the exposed tissue is reshaped using a laser. This reshaping is what corrects the vision. The flap is then replaced over the cornea and the eye is allowed to heal. To find out if you are suitable for LASIK you would need to attend a pre-operative assessment at which your corneal thickness will be measured and your prescription verified for stability. If your cornea is too thin or your prescription is still changing, you will probably be advised against LASIK. Pre-operative assessments are offered by all the leading companies involved in laser eye surgery.

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