Ashford

We carry out thorough NHS and private eye examinations in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

Our commitment to patient care is reflected in the times we allocate to appointments: 30 minutes for a normal appointment.

Our fully qualified and accredited optometric staff take the time to listen to your needs and to answer your questions, and our determination to provide the best care is also demonstrated in our investment in high-quality diagnostic and analysis equipment.

Our Eye Exam fees are here.

As well as Retinal Photography, at all Norman Prince Opticians practices we now have 3D OCT scanning available. This scans your eye in just a few seconds and gives us a 3D cross-sectional image of the deeper layers of your eyes. This helps us detect the early signs of many eye conditions including Macular Degeneration and Glaucoma.

An example scan from OCT, showing a cross-section of the back of the eye

More on OCT here.

Eye exams are free under the NHS for those under 16, and for those in full time education until they turn 19.

Most children have excellent sight and do not need to wear glasses. Some children may have vision screening done at primary school.

Children do not always know that their vision is poor. If you have any concerns about your child’s eyes, or if there is a history of Squint or Lazy eye in the family, do not wait for the vision screening at school. Problems that are picked up early are more easily treatable.

Your child does not need to be able to read or talk to have a sight test. We can use a special light (called a Retinoscope) and pictures to assess vision. We understand that having your eyes tested can be scary for a child, so try to keep it fun!

More about Children’s eye tests here.

As well as Retinal Photography, at all Norman Prince Opticians practices we now have 3D OCT scanning available. This scans your eye in just a few seconds and gives us a 3D cross-sectional image of the deeper layers of your eyes. This helps us detect the early signs of many eye conditions including Macular Degeneration and Glaucoma.

An example scan from OCT, showing a cross-section of the back of the eye

More on OCT here.

Some eye conditions need to be investigated quickly and others are not so urgent. Our practice staff can usually advise you how quickly you need to be seen and an optometrist can usually talk to you over the phone to discuss your symptoms.

We will try to see you on the same day if you have a sharp drop in vision, flashes and floaters or a painful eye.

See more about Sight Conditions here.

Our Eye Exam fees are here.

We can carry out an eye exam in your own home if you are unable to leave the house.

The NHS will cover this cost if you are entitled to an NHS eye exam. Please contact your nearest practice and we will aim to see you usually within a month.

One of our optometrists, Yvonne Nutt, has qualified in Independent Prescribing, which means that she can prescribe eye drops privately for eye infections, allergies, dry eye and minor eye injuries – meaning that you can avoid lengthy waits at A&E or GP surgeries.

She can also perform specialist Dry Eye Assessments and further investigations for severe Dry or Watery eyes.

At a dry eye assessment, we will carry out a complete assessment of your dry eye problems to identify the cause and formulate a treatment plan. The assessment includes:

• A detailed history of your symptoms
• Observation of eyelid and anterior eye health
• Evaluation of tear quality
• Specialist techniques to assess corneal and conjunctival dryness
• Discussion and formulation of a management plan

Depending on the management plan initiated, we will usually arrange a follow-up appointment with you to assess the effectiveness of any treatment.

Our optometrists and reception team would be happy to answer any of your questions or arrange your appointment.

More about Dry Eyes >>

Our Eye Exam fees are here.

Most colour deficiencies are hereditary, but some can occur in certain eye diseases or as a side-effect of medication.

As part of our comprehensive eye exam we carry out colour vision screening using an Ishihara Test. This will detect the most usual form of Red/Green deficiency.

We can also carry out a City University Colour test to detect the rarer forms of colour deficiency, e.g. Blue/Yellow.

An example plate from an Ishihara colour test

The gold standard visual field test for driving is the Esterman. This is done with both eyes open and concentrates mainly on your horizontal visual field. (This is different to the Glaucoma Visual field test which is done with one eye covered and measures the whole of your visual field).

The DVLA request certain people (including those with Glaucoma) to have regular Esterman Visual Field tests (usually every 3 years).

Unfortunately, rather than allowing a patient to have this done in a small local practice, the DVLA have recently awarded the national contract for these tests to a large optical company. At Norman Prince Opticians we can still perform this test for you privately for peace of mind.

Studies have shown that those with Dyslexia can benefit from using coloured overlays and filters when reading. These can relieve eyestrain and glare and can aid concentration. They are particularly useful if you find the text moves when reading or you find you skip lines or lose your place.

We can carry out specific Rate of Reading and Overlay assessment to determine which tint works best for you.

Our Eye Exam fees are here.

All our experienced optometrists fit contact lenses and we are able to supply many different lens types and materials, including gas permeable, daily and monthly disposable soft lenses and multifocals.

We offer contact lens care schemes to provide ongoing care and cost savings for our contact lens customers.