Home » Advice » Can Opticians diagnose eye problems?

When it comes to eye health concerns, many people’s first instinct is to book an appointment with their GP. But perhaps your local Optician might be a better first call…

Let’s explore why and understand exactly how and when the professionals you’ll find in our Spectacular Opticians branches are able to help.

Should I see an optician or doctor first?

What our video below to find out!

What exactly do opticians do?

When you visit any one of our Optician practices you’ll meet our dedicated team of professionals, each with their own qualifications and specialties.

Optometrists

With the highest level of training at post-graduate level, our Optometrists can diagnose any eye condition, from minor irritations to potentially sight or life-threatening problems. You’ll always see one of our Optometrists when you visit for an eye examination.

Dispensing Opticians

Specialising in correcting your vision, our Dispensing Opticians are university-qualified professionals who typically focus on fitting and supplying your glasses. They can offer advice on common eye symptoms and conditions.

Some of our Dispensing Opticians are also qualified as Contact Lens Opticians, which means they can help you with contact lens fitting and care too.

Optical Assistants

Handling day-to-day tasks such as glasses adjustments, our Optical Assistants are trained in-house and are not qualified to make medical diagnosis.


Who should I see if I have a problem with my eyes?

While your GP is a highly skilled medical practitioner, the professional team at your local Opticians are specialists who focus only on eye health and vision care.

The access we have to dedicated equipment, longer appointment times and focused training means we can often provide more accurate and detailed diagnoses when it come to your eyes.

Your Optometrist will be able to identify the cause of your eye symptoms, leading to more targeted and effective treatment.

What can an Optometrist diagnose?

As well as their initial qualifications, our Optometrists keep their knowledge up to date with ongoing professional training every year. This means they’re well equipped to diagnose a wide range of eye conditions.

They can:

  • Identify and treat minor eye-related conditions, such as eye infections, vision problems and eye injuries
  • Diagnose potentially serious eye conditions
  • Examine the entire eye area, including your eyelids, lashes and surrounding skin and tissues
  • Use specialised equipment not available elsewhere to help diagnosis

For serious conditions like glaucoma or eye cancers, an Optometrist will refer patients to an Ophthalmologist based at the hospital eye clinic for confirmation and treatment.


What medical conditions can an eye test pick up?

Your eyes can act as an important window to your general health too!

In a routine eye examination, your Optometrist can spot important signs of wider health conditions and advise you to book in with your doctor before other symptoms have even begun.

Common conditions that may show up in an eye examination include:

  • High blood pressure
  • Diabetes
  • Cholesterol issues
  • Arthritis
  • Autoimmune diseases

How often do you really need an eye examination?

How often you should book an eye examination depends on various personal factors, but we recommend patients see us at least once every two years. Visiting your Optician regularly is important for lots of reasons.

  1. Early detection

    Most eye conditions are more successfully treated if we catch them early. Once damage to the eye has begun, it’s often irreversible – so prevention is better than cure.

  2. Keeping you safe

    Your vision can deteriorate quite significantly without you noticing. This is because your brain tries to compensate, often by over-relying on one eye rather than the other. This affects your depth perception which can lead to trips and falls and impact your safety behind the wheel.

  3. Quality of life

    Many people unnecessarily put up with symptoms like headaches and eye strain, assuming they’re just part of modern life. With proper eye care these issues can often disappear.

  4. Performance at work

    Lots of jobs, whether in the office, workshop or on-site, rely on your eyesight to do the job well and keep you safe.


If you notice any problems with your eyes, your Optometrist should be your first call

In each Spectacular Opticians practice we have the specialised equipment and expertise to properly examine you and make an accurate diagnosis. We can make sure you’re directed to the right care pathway to get the best treatment for you.

Remember, regular eye examinations aren’t just about updating your prescription. They’re an important part of looking after both your eye health and general wellbeing.

Contact our friendly reception team to book an appointment with one of our experienced Optometrists today…