Are UK high-street stores offering eye-tests trustworthy?

Question

Thinking about getting my eyes tested.

Now a lot of stores offer in-house eye tests (Specsavers, Vision Express, Boots etc.). But since these are commerical businesses are they going to be truly objective and unbiased.

For example I can't believe a business will say to anyone 'no your eyesight is fine you don't need anything'. Instead they'd try and convince you you had something wrong, and sell you some of their products.

Anyone know how trustworthy they are?

Answer 1

of course they are! If you dont believe them then why not have a free test in 3 different places and if they all confirm the same thing then it'd make sense that the answer is correct!

Answer 2

i work in optics and yes high street opticians are as trustworthy as anywhere else.

sight tests dont only test your vision, the optometrist will also check the health of your eyes and this is essential to get checked especially if there is a family history of glaucoma, cattaracts etc.

Optometrists will reccomend what is best for you, even if they find you have a small presciption but are happy without the glasses, they will happily give you a copy of your prescrition and let you on your way. You are not obligated to buy glasses if you have a prescription and you are not obligated to buy glasses from the optician who tests your eyes.

Vision express have over 100 ways to test your eyes - if you doubt this just go in store and ask and an optom will hapilly explain them to you. Some opticians offer ten minute sight tests - i do not trust these.

How can the optician check the health of your eyes and check your vision thouroughly in the space of ten minutes?

A sight test should generally last about 20-30 minutes.

If you want a free sight test you will usually need a promotional voucher. Or you may qualify for an nhs sight test if you are in reciept of benefits, under 16, 16-18 and in full time education, diabetic, over 60 over 40 with a family history of glaucoma, or named on a vlid hc2 form.

You are only allowed one nhs sight test within your recall period, generlly 12-24 months. Unless there is a change in your prescription.

Answer 3

The eye tests are done by a qualified member of the Optometrists professional association, so they have to answer to their professional body, not to the store manager. I am a spectacle wearer and have had tests where no change was the result. The actual numbers on the eye test report may differ a bit between testers, but your eyes won't be exactly the same day to day. Also the test is based on you answering the question "Is that better, or is this?", so your input has some effect.

Answer 4

Always go to my trusted optician but that is not to say he is any better or any worse than those you mentioned.

I think you will find that Vision Express are top notch and that their opticians will be kept ahead of the times in relation to new methods and techniques as well as having state of the art equipment...not too sure about specsavers though.

Anyway how would we know who or what is best unless we try them.

I would have to say though that if you had any major problem with your eye any optician would find it out on examination.

Answer 5

here in britain the 'store' as you call it or shop as we are more likely ot call it has to give you a copy of the eye prescription under reforms brought in by ex prime minister margaret thatcher presumably for the reason you suggest
i am sure that some of this goes on particularly in the form of egging the customer on to buy a more expensive and flattering pair of spectacles but opthamologists are highly qualified people and i would be surprised to find them over prescribing
the last eye test i had was incredibly thorough with the opthamologist giving me the 'if you were my relative spiel' and gave me all the options finishing with the cheapest-and she also discussed matters which were outside her scope and really the province of the eye consultant who in fact is sayign precisely nothing about any of this
but,yes, there is a conflict of interest here and scope for abuse but of course you can shop around different opticians from year to year and compare findings

Answer 6

Yes very. I am a traveling stage manager and when bored one year i took a number of eye tests in several cities to test this for myself. They all came up with the same result.

Answer 7

Post office

Answer 8

specsavers saved my dads life as they found a growth behind one of his eyes, so yes I trust them....

Answer 9

yes they are

Answer 10

i've always found them ok