NHS Eligibility and Private Eye Test

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We will get back to you at our earliest opportunity.

FREE NHS SIGHT TEST

A home free NHS sight test can only be provided to those who meet one of the requirements below and cannot attend a practice unaccompanied. You may also be entitled to help towards the cost of spectacles (benefit entitlement dependant).

If you are unsure about meeting a home eye test criteria please get in touch for further information.

Here is a list of why someone might not be able to leave their home due to illness or disability unaccompanied.

Cognitive impairment; Alzheimer, Huntington’s disease, Parkinsons Dementia
A condition that affects your short term memory; Dementia, Lewy body dementia brain injury
Respiratory Disease; COPD, Emphysema
A condition that affects your mobility; Stroke, Multiple sclerosis (MS), Motor Neuron disease, morbid Obesity, severe arthritis, severe osteoporosis
Coronary Heart disease
A diagnosed mental illness; Agraphobia, Psychiatric
If your housebound or bedbound
Been advised by medical professional to not to leave home without help.
A temporary medical reason or illness that prevents you from leaving your home

The following list entitles you to a free NHS eye test.

Aged under 16
Aged 16, 17 or 18 in full time education
Aged 60 or over
Diagnosed with Diabetes or Glaucoma
Considered to be at risk of Glaucoma (as advised by an ophthalmologist)
Aged 40 or over and the parent, brother, sister, son or daughter of a person diagnosed with Glaucoma
Registered blind or partially sighted
Eligible for an NHS Complex Lens Voucher (your optician will advise on your entitlement)
Claiming Universal Benefit (Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Pension Credit Guarantee Credit or receiving Tax Credits and meeting qualifying conditions)
On a low Income and named on a valid HC2 (full help) or HC3 (partial help) certificate
You're also entitled if you or your partner (including civil partner) receive, or you're under the age of 20 and the dependant of someone receiving: Income Support, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income-based Jobseeker’s
Allowance, Pension Credit Guarantee Credit.

What can you use as qualifying proof?

Depending on the area you qualify for NHS help, you can either tell us the name of the school, college or university you attend, the Health Surgery you are registered with, a benefits entitlement letter, and a Visual impairment certificate or HC2 Certificate.

NHS optical vouchers

You're entitled to an optical voucher for help towards the cost of your glasses or contact lenses if you:

are under 16
are 16, 17 or 18 and in full-time education
are a prisoner on leave from prison
are eligible for an NHS complex lens voucher – an optician can advise you about your entitlement

You're also entitled if you or your partner – including civil partner – receive, or you're under the age of 20 and the dependant of someone receiving:

Income Support
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
Universal Credit and meet the criteria

If you're entitled to or named on:

a valid NHS tax credit exemption certificate (if you do not have a certificate, you can show your award notice), you qualify if you get Child Tax Credits, Working Tax Credits with a disability element (or both), and have income for tax credit purposes of £15,276 or less
a valid NHS certificate for full help with health costs (HC2)

People named on an NHS certificate for partial help with health costs (HC3) may also get help with the cost of glasses or contact lenses.

Find out more about the NHS Low Income Scheme (LIS)

NHS complex lens vouchers

To be eligible, your lenses need to be either -10/+10 dioptres or more, or prism-controlled bifocal lenses.

Complex lens vouchers are a contribution towards the cost of these lenses – currently £14.60 for single vision lenses and £37.40 for bifocal lenses.

The vouchers are only available to those who meet the clinical criteria and are not eligible for one of the main optical vouchers.

Who does not qualify for our home visit service?

If you are physically able to leave your home on your own without needing help or assistance of another person, you will not qualify for a free NHS-funded home eye test.

We are also unable to visit patients in hospital.

Private Sight Test

If you are not eligible for an NHS home sight test but would still like to be tested at home, this service can be provided for £60. However, if you purchase any glasses from us, this fee will be waived to £30.