Eye Tests

We advise regular eye examinations for everyone including children, even when you are not experiencing any difficulties. We recommend annual eye examinations for our private patients, the NHS typically will only allow an exam as tabled below.

Our advanced equipment includes:

• Ultra-wide Optomap retinal imaging, which allows us to capture images of the inside of your eyes. This advanced technology enables us to detect even the slightest abnormalities and compare these images during future check-ups, ensuring that any changes are detected early on. Our imaging device is notably superior to those used by other opticians who offer ‘digital retinal photography’ as our imaging will capture up to 82% of the retina in seconds as opposed to 15%.
• Optical Coherence Tomography (4D OCT) scanning using the Heidelberg Spectralis, which is the most advanced OCT used in eyecare. This highly accurate and repeatable device is commonly used only in private eye units and is the Gold Standard in detecting and monitoring Glaucoma and Macular Degeneration. NASA even uses it, making it the clear OCT of choice. You will often only see the Heidelberg Spectralis in research only. Other opticians have cheaper version and typically you cannot access the full suite of modules to obtain every scan due to cost, we own the full modules so we do right by you!
• Visionix 120 is a significant investment in detecting unconventional glaucoma. This imaging device measures the size of the eye where eye pressure is produced and drained, and it measures corneal shape and thickness for the most accurate pressure reading. It also measures your prescription, giving us confidence in our prescriptions.
• Intra-ocular pressure: We use the Icare tonometer, this is a non-puff of air pressure check which more accurate and comfortable for you, majoirty of opticians use the puff of air, which frankly as air is free it cheaper to operate!
• Visual Fields: When required we use the Zeiss Humphreys HFA830, this is the gold standard visual fields required by ophthalmolgoist investigation. 
• Anterior OCT: This is a 3D scan of the cornea and anterior segment, allows clear images of any corneal concern
• Axial Length: 

Whilst as optometrist are expected to devise a prescription for spectacles or contact lenses, we do this better than most! By taking our time, using information from the wavefront auto-refraction, history and symptoms we can prescribe the most optimum correction for your eyes.

We also offer a lot more!

• Dry eye: We offer the widest range of dry eye treaments. We often will start with a dry eye asessment to undercover the root cause of your symptoms and typically why your current treament is not working. We offer a three stage treament: 1) Home treatment 2) Medical drops 3) In-clinic treatment with our most popular treatment of Meibomian gland probing, IPL, LLLT and expression.
• Dry Macula Degeneration (AMD): We are only a handful of opticians offering a non-invasive treatment for Dry AMD. Using the Lumithera Valeda photobiomodulation we can aim to slow down the AMD and possibly improve the vision. The treatment cycle consists of 9 sessions spaced over 3-5 weeks which last 15mins with no downtime, drugs or drops. The treatment cycyle is repeated every 4-6 months. This is the only FDA treatment available. 
• Colourimetry:Visual Stress is a perceptual processing condition that causes reading difficulties, headaches and visual problems from exposure to patterns in text, such as lines of text. Visual Stress is linked to dyslexia and similar visual learning difficulties. Sufferers experience print distortion and fatigue when reading.Visual Stress is also known as Meares-Irlen syndrome, after the two researchers who first discovered the connection between white page glare and reading difficulties. The severity of these symptoms can vary from person to person, with approximately 20% of the population suffering to some degree
• Infections: Why wait at the hospital, see a GP who has little eyes knowledge or an opticians who cannot prescribe medical drops-we can! 
• Emergency appointment. Lost contact lens, scracthed eye, flashes and floaters etc… we are open Monday to Saturday to squeez you in where possible and assess you. 

Private eye tests with Safarian and Simon include advanced services, such as Visionix 120 Scan, 4D OCT, and retinal imaging, as well as improved eye pressure measurement, which are integral to an enhanced eye examination. While not currently covered under the NHS Sight Test, these services are essential for a thorough examination and early detection of eye diseases. We have detected many abnormalities using the technology which we feel would not have been picked up with a non-advanced exam.

For patients currently under NHS hospital care, it is worth noting that follow-up monitoring may be less frequent or non-existent. As such, those with a history of macular degeneration or glaucoma are strongly recommended to opt for private a 4D OCT diagnostic exam, which offers unparalleled accuracy and repeatability.

We have two experianced optometrist only, we do not use locums. Mr Sachin Patel and Ms Anila Mistry are the only two who examine your eyes. As our notes and images are saved from past visits, they can pick up from your last exams to keep you confident that your eye health exams is continous. 

Whilst many other opticians are now following the pattern of Doctors and undertaking telephone consultation, we do not feel this is safe practice. All the imaging is only taken by the optometrist to ensure high quality images and no errors during the examination. Other opticians are now relying on techicians or non-qualified staff to take images and pass them on the optometrist remotly or in practice, this creates a risk of errors and actually slows down the eye examination. Our two optometrist clinics are fully equipped so you are not moved around often to allow an efficent examination.