The Eye Examination

The eye examination is not only a check of your vision - it is a thorough examination to check the health of your eyes; identify any problems before they become more serious; and look for signs of other health problems.

Checking your vision tells us how well you can see and whether spectacles, contact lenses or eye exercises could help with your sight. Health checks are also performed to ensure early detection and diagnosis of any disease or abnormality that may require further medical attention or treatment by your doctor or eye-clinic.

WJ Henderson Optometrists is an NHS registered practice and standard NHS eye examinations are provided free of charge*. For an Enhanced NHS eye examination there is a fee of £20.

(*funded by NHS Scotland).

Test Chart

Retinal Camera

Slit Lamp

At WJ Henderson Optometrists an eye examination takes around 45 minutes.

Your examination will be carried out by one of our fully qualified optometrists who will be able to answer any questions you may have. The examination will begin with a discussion on - the reason for your visit; your lifestyle, hobbies, and visual requirements; your general health, medical history and family history. The optometrist will then carry out a series of tests to include:

Visual Acuity and Refraction - Evaluating how clearly each eye is seeing and determining the lens power needed to correct any short sightedness, long sightedness, or astigmatism

Binocular Vision - Assessing how well your eyes focus, move, and work together

Ophthalmoscopy - Using digital photography to determine the health of the back of your eye - your retina, macula, optic disc, and vitreous humour

Gonioscopy - Examining the front of the eye to monitor various eye conditions associated with increased risk of glaucoma

Slit Lamp - Assessing the health of the front of your eye - your sclera, conjunctiva, iris, and cornea - using a high powered biomicroscope

Tonometry - Checking the pressure of the fluid in the eye to assess the risk of glaucoma

Visual Field Analysis - Detecting dysfunction in central and peripheral vision which may be caused by various medical conditions such as glaucoma, stroke, brain tumours or other neurological defects

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) - a non-invasive imaging scan, similar to an ultrasound, which assists with the early diagnosis and treatment guidance for glaucoma and retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. (Enhanced NHS and Private Examinations only)

At the end of the examination you will receive of copy of your prescription and advice on your eye health and optical needs. The optometrist will also advise as to how soon a recheck is required. Your recheck interval will depend on your age, family history and any eye conditions present. Typically an adult aged 40 or over needs their eyes examined every 2 years. Children under 16 with spectacles and adults over 60 may require yearly checks.