THE EYE TESTS OUR HOME VISIT OPTICIANS CARRY OUT
The typical home eye test begins with one of our mobile opticians visiting your home on a prearranged day, and they will usually call before to check if it’s still convenient. They’ll then ask about your eyecare history, health conditions and any problems you may be having. This will take place before carrying out an eye examination with specialised equipment for use in the home. You can learn about the full procedure below, including the types of tests we’ll carry out.
Before the test
We’ll give you the name of your optometrist before your visit so that you know who to expect at your front door. Sometimes they might also be joined by an optical assistant. Once they arrive, they’ll decide on the best area in your home for the test to take place. They may need to move around a bit of furniture to prepare the space, but in most cases, this isn’t necessary. If you have mobility issues or are bedbound, then the test can be done wherever you are most comfortable. We have specialist equipment that means we can adapt to your environment.
Once you’re ready, the optometrist/mobile optician will begin by asking you or a family member (if patients are unable to give this information) about your eye health history and any symptoms or changes you may have experienced since your last regular eye test. They’ll then set up the equipment for your test, including an electronic test chart that allows us to test your eyes in any size space.
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Types of eye test performed at home
Your optometrist will then carry out several tests to assess your vision, as well as carrying out an overall health check of your eyes. This will include testing for specific eye conditions or eye disease.
Using a handheld tonometer, your optometrist will check the pressure in your eyes (intraocular pressure) to assess whether you might be at risk of developing glaucoma. Here, they may also conduct a visual field test to test your peripheral (wide) vision, to check for other signs of glaucoma.
Your optometrist will also conduct an examination to take a closer look inside your eyes using an ophthalmoscope, which may require the use of eye drops to dilate your pupil so they can view the inside of your eye more easily. This is especially useful to monitor conditions such as diabetic retinopathy, cataracts and a number of other eye problems.
Another important check is the way your eyes move and work together, checking this can make sure that you’re not experiencing any eye strain or double vision. They will also carry out some tests to assess your vision. Your optometrist will use a retinoscope to shine light into your eyes and check for any refractive error. This test can give us a very close reading for your prescription, without the need for you to respond. This is useful if, for instance, you or your loved one has dementia and finds it difficult to give subjective responses.
If you are able to, your optometrist might carry out further tests to help fine-tune their results. An example of this is they might ask you to read from a letter chart (such as a Snellen test) at a distance to check your visual acuity, or ask you to wear a trial frame to test your vision with different strength lenses.
At the end of the examination our optometrist will sit down and explain the results of the test, along with any recommendations. If you require glasses then we will show you our wide range of frames we have to offer. Within two weeks we will personally hand deliver and fit your glasses and provide you with a personalised eye care report.
As you have read, the home visit eye tests we carry out are as comprehensive as a high street opticians, and as we work in partnership with the NHS you can be assured we offer exceptional eye care to our patients. You can find out if you qualify for a free NHS eye test and NHS funded glasses by checking out our eligibility webpage here.
Call us on 020 8998 4228 to book an appointment or to find out further information. You can also find a wide range of information on our website too.