Let Cranford Opticians give you quality eye care for those important to you
Many of us assume that the older people in our life, perhaps our siblings, parents or grandparents can see well. Recently we had one of our regular patients bring in her mum who hadn't seen an Optician for a few years. Her mum said she could see well, and it was just a routine check-up and the only thing she was suffering from was a bit of light sensitivity.
However, when we tested her eyes, we found she had quite a dense cataract in one eye and hadn't realised exactly how much her vision had deteriorated. We can easily refer for treatment, which will significantly improve her vision, quality of life and also help with the light sensitivity.
Anyone who has older people in their life who haven't seen an Optician in a while, we recommend an eye test at least every two years (or as recommended by an Optometrist). It is not just about getting a pair of glasses, it is about improving confidence and quality of life – and maybe saving their vision.
Updating your glasses
Even if you are not experiencing any unusual symptoms and you feel like your vision hasn’t changed. We still recommend having an eye test at least every two years, or more often if recommended by an Optometrist. They will check the health of the eyes and let you know if your eyes have changed.
Simply updating glasses to your current prescription can reduce the risk of falls and improve quality of life.
Eye test cost
You may qualify for a free NHS eye test and/or an optical voucher to reduce the cost of glasses or contact lenses if you:
Are over 60
Receive universal credit or tax credit and meet the criteria
Receive pension credit guarantee credit
And more
You can check who qualifies for a free NHS eye test here.
Eye conditions
Here are the main conditions that might be missed if your loved one’s eyes are not checked regularly:
Cataracts are formed when the clear lens inside your eye becomes cloudy or misty. It is a gradual process that can happen as we get older. The early stages of a cataract do not necessarily affect your sight but can reduce the quality of vision. The treatment for a cataract is surgery. If your cataract gets to the stage where it affects your sight and quality of life, your Optician will refer you to a hospital for assessment and treatment.
You should see an optician if you have any of these symptoms:
your vision is blurred or misty
you experience glare or find lights too bright
you find it hard to see in low light
colours look faded
If you wear glasses, you may feel your lenses are dirty and need cleaning, even when they don’t.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) covers a number of conditions which affect the macula, the area at the back of your eye, that you use for seeing fine detail and central vision during certain tasks such as reading and watching television. You can get it in one or both eyes. Symptoms include
The first symptom is often a distorted or blurred area in your vision.
As things progress you might struggle to see anything in the middle of your vision.
For example AMD can make things like reading, watching TV, driving or recognising faces difficult.
Straight lines appear wavy or crooked
Objects look smaller than normal
Missing patches in the vision
Difficulty in adapting to light, e.g in going from light to dark, or dark to light
Colours seeming less bright than they used to
Seeing things that are not there (hallucinations)
Glaucoma is the term given to a group of eye conditions which affect the optic nerve inside your eye. In glaucoma, the pressure of the fluid inside your eye causes damage to your optic nerve, which may affect how well you see. As your Optician, we will be able to tell you if you have a higher than usual risk of glaucoma and how often you should have regular eye examinations. If we suspect you have glaucoma, we will refer you to an ophthalmologist for diagnosis.
Glaucoma is known as the silent killer as you get no symptoms until the late stages. This is another good reason to have a regular eye test.
You will also qualify for an NHS eye test if you:
have been diagnosed with glaucoma
are 40 or over and either your mother, father, sibling or child has been diagnosed with glaucoma
have been advised that you are at risk of glaucoma by an ophthalmologist
Low vision
We have a wide range of magnifiers to help those with low vision or if you have any hobbies that require better sight. We can also refer you for more support such as a referral for a CVI certificate should you need it.
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned, or if you would like to book an appointment, please call 020 8759 9395 to make an appointment for or alternatively, you can book online.
Parking: Street parking on The Avenue, High Street, Berkeley Avenue or Waye Avenue. Car parks at the Ibis budget London Heathrow Central (TW5 9SX) and DoubleTree Hilton by Hilton London Heathrow Airport (TW5 9QE). Please check for parking conditions.
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