Optician and Eye Screening

[TerryP]

Hi All
I had my annual eye screening yesterday and it was mentioned to me that I should be going to an optician at lease once a year. I’m fine with that but just wanted to check if there is a particular optician that specialises in Diabetes or are they all pretty much the same (i.e. Specsavers, Vision Express etc) or would the ‘non chain’ optician be a better bet?

Thanks as always

 

[Inka]

I just go to my local one @TerryP They know a bit about diabetes but they do all the other checks like glaucoma as well as the vision test.

 

[Deleted member 21371]

Hi All
I had my annual eye screening yesterday and it was mentioned to me that I should be going to an optician at lease once a year. I’m fine with that but just wanted to check if there is a particular optician that specialises in Diabetes or are they all pretty much the same (i.e. Specsavers, Vision Express etc) or would the ‘non chain’ optician be a better bet?

Thanks as always

I tend to use an independent.
My last county subcontracted all the eye screening out to local opticians, and provided a list, my current NHS does it all in house, but I shopped around for one that does retinal screening by laser camera, and pay privately for that on top of my free eye test and normal screening there.
So, generally, no matter what, yes, they aren't all equal, ask if they specialise.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I get annual eye screening, and go to the opticians every couple of years, or whenever I get sent a reminder 🙂

 

[pace]

Hi , I gave Spec Savers ago and the glasses kept falling apart. They did repair them to a degree but became awkward re repairs.

No doubt other members had better luck than me.

I have my annual diabetic eye test and have a two year normal eye test.

 

[Martin62]

I use vision express, and get a very thorough eye test, he even did an ultrasound of my eyes , and at the end showed me the results and explained everything to me, very pleased with them .

 

[Lucyr]

Hi , I gave Spec Savers ago and the glasses kept falling apart. They did repair them to a degree but became awkward re repairs.

No doubt other members had better luck than me.

I have my annual diabetic eye test and have a two year normal eye test.

I’ve had the same pair of specsavers glasses, wearing them full time, for 3 years and never needed a repair.

 

[Robin]

My ordinary 'eye tests for glasses' have moved to an entitlement to a free one every two years, (unless your prescription has changed, in which case they will do one sooner) I was told that, in our area at least, they had discussed whether to cut down the Retinopathy screening to once every two years, or keep it and move the general optician's eye test to once every two years, and they felt that the Retinopathy screening was more important, so kept it at one year.

 

[harbottle]

Hi , I gave Spec Savers ago and the glasses kept falling apart. They did repair them to a degree but became awkward re repairs.

No doubt other members had better luck than me.

I have my annual diabetic eye test and have a two year normal eye test.

I bought some 'designer' frames from SpecSavers and they've lasted brilliantly. (I'd never normally look at them as I assumed they were expensive, but they weren't.)

When the paint started to peel off one pair I took them back and they replaced without a quibble.

 

[pace]

I bought some 'designer' frames from SpecSavers and they've lasted brilliantly. (I'd never normally look at them as I assumed they were expensive, but they weren't.)

When the paint started to peel off one pair I took them back and they replaced without a quibble.

Hi , from my understanding Specsavers is a franchise business. If this is the case I can understand why service levels vary from branch to branch.

 

[Docb]

I do not think it is a conventional franchise but my understanding is that all specsavers branches are owned by individuals who operate under the specsavers umbrella brand. As I understand it, specsavers take a cut of the business to provide "services" - advertising and supply of lenses and frames. Either way, the point made by @pace is sound, and my thought is that once you have found a opticians that you are are content with, then stick with them be they chain or non-chain. Just don't assume that all the chain operations work to the same standard.