Best places to have an eye test

Due your next eye test but haven't yet decided where to go? 

Our exclusive survey reveals how thousands of consumers rate the UK's biggest brands – from Specsavers and Boots to Costco, Asda and more.

An eye examination isn't just about getting new glasses or contacts. As well as making sure you get the right prescription, a regular eye test can help you identify potentially serious health problems such as glaucoma and diabetes and deal with them early, protecting your sight for the long term. 

So even if you don't wear glasses or contacts, you should still have regular eye tests.

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Best places to get your eyes tested

We surveyed over 10,000 people about their experiences to find out which companies are rated best and worst for eye tests, including quality of customer service and thoroughness of tests.

Logged-in Which? members can see how customers rated different opticians in the table below.

Not yet a member? Sign up to Which? today to get access to this and all our reviews and survey results. Non-members will see an alphabetically ordered list of brands and no ratings.

We surveyed over 10,000 people to find the best opticians stores

How we uncovered the best places to have an eye test

Our eye test brand ratings are based on a survey of over 10,000 people who've had an eye test in the past two years. Our expert in-house researchers and statisticians then crunched thousands of numbers to reveal which brands are rated best and worst for eye tests.

We run this major survey every two years to ensure our results accurately reflect people's recent experiences.

We also add expert insight, based on our own research and consulting expert optometrists, around what you can expect from an eye test and the key information you need to know.

How much does an eye test cost?

The good news is that you might not have to pay anything for an eye test.

A number of people are eligible for a free NHS funded eye test – including those over 60 and those who are partially sighted or blind, or on certain kinds of income support.

Some employers offer discount schemes, too, if you have to use a computer for work. 

Private eye tests can cost anywhere in the region of £25 to over £100, depending on where you have it and what kind of screening you select. Check with your chosen brand first before committing. 

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Can you do an online eye test?

Some websites offer online eye tests where you can check your visual acuity, sensitivity to contrast and field of vision but, given how important an eye test is for eye health we don't recommend relying on them – an eye exam should always be carried out by a registered professional.

Zeiss, a major manufacturer of prescription lenses, offers free online vision screening and hints at some results, but the tool really exists to point you to your closest Zeiss partner optician and is not designed to be a diagnostic tool.

Specsavers, too, has some tips online about how to check your vision and any red flags to look out for. It also provides a downloadable Snellen chart for use, which is the chart with lots of letters on in descending size that optometrists use to assess your eye sight. It makes clear that an online test should never be a substitute for a proper eye exam, though.

What to expect from an in-person eye test

Knowing what to expect and the sort of tests that are done and why can help you to feel confident you've been given a comprehensive eye test:

• Eye tests usually take 20 to 30 minutes, although they can take longer depending on your individual needs.
• The optician will assess your history to ascertain whether this is a routine check-up or if you've had any problems.
• They will also ask about your general health, your work and any hobbies you do.

Common eye tests and what they're for

Glasses check (focimetry)

Used to determine the strength of your glasses so your optometrist can see if your prescription has changed. You’ll be asked to hand over your specs and they will be placed on a machine. This often happens in the pre-testing before the appointment.

Pressure check (tonometry)

This test for glaucoma can be easy to spot, as lots of optometrists use a method that blows puffs of air in your eye.

Visual fields check

This looks at your peripheral vision. It may be done with a technician before the appointment and involves you clicking a button as you see dots of light flash up in the edges of your vision.

Autorefraction

Can be used to automatically estimate your prescription. You’ll be asked to look into a machine and most likely see a picture that will move in and out of focus.

Prescription check

The part where the optometrist will show you a series of lenses and ask you questions such as ‘clearer with or without’ or ‘sharper in one or two’.

A slit lamp

This is a microscope with a bright light used to look at the front and sometimes back of your eyes. You’ll place your chin in a chin rest and be asked to look straight ahead or at the optometrist’s ear.

Ophthalmoscopy

This can be used to look at the inside of your eye, particularly the retina. Normally, the lights are turned down, and the optometrist will come in close with a light and check your eyes in a variety of positions, such as straight ahead, up, looking to the left and so on.

Digital retinal photography

This usually costs extra. A picture of the back of your eye is taken and stored to create a record of your eye health, so that changes over time can be monitored. 

Your optometrist should show you the images later in your appointment – they are likely to look like orange/red circles with blood vessels running through. Some practices may also offer Optical Coherence Tomography ‘OCT’ 3D scanning of the eyes.

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How to get the best from your eye test

Be proactive in describing any issue you're having to the optician. You'll be helping them to give you the best appointment. It's worth writing down any questions or symptoms you want to discuss beforehand.

1. Be clear about any unusual symptoms you’ve had, such as headaches or flashes of light. While an optometrist should ask about these, it’s best to be upfront if you’ve experienced any problems or if there's a specific reason for your visit, so they can follow up with more questions.
2. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, for example about the results of each test. A good optometrist will talk you through what they’ve found, even if it’s just to say your eye health is stable.
3. If you find an optometrist you trust, stick with them. Consistency can be helpful, especially if you have any complicated eye problems. They can keep a record of your retinal photos or scans and track any problems as they develop.
4. If there’s a problem with your prescription, go back to the original opticians to get it sorted in the first instance. If they can't resolve it, escalate it for free to the Optical Consumer Complaints Service, which will provide mediation and is funded by the regulator, the General Optical Council. 

Getting an eye test vs buying glasses

Did you know that you don’t need to buy your frames or lenses from the same opticians that did your eye test? Our survey shows that many people make purchases where they had their eye test. But you can shop around to try and save money or find the right frames if you don’t like the opticians’ range.

Opticians are obliged to give you a copy of your prescription on request so you can take it elsewhere.

You can use your glasses prescription to shop around to make sure you get the best eye test and the best frames for your budget.

- Sara Spary, Which? health expert

The only thing they don’t have to give you is your pupillary distance measurement – which is the distance between your eyes, taken from the centre of your pupils. It’s not needed for contact lenses but it’s crucial to ensuring that frames fit correctly, especially for varifocals.

If you want to buy your frames in person at another store, check with the optician first whether they will take the measurement for you before ordering the frames. This shouldn’t be a problem in most cases. 

And if you’re planning to shop online for frames, you can take this measurement yourself. Most online providers will give you a step-by-step guide, but it can be a bit fiddly so make sure you double-check your measurement.

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Understanding your glasses prescription

Want to be a bit more informed about your vision? Below is a list of common phrases that occur on prescriptions, and what they mean.

Distance is the lens power prescribed to help you see distant objects clearly, this is based on your ability to read an eye chart with various lenses.

‘Sph’ (Sphere) A plus (+) sign means that your eye is long-sighted. A minus (-) that your eye is short-sighted. The number (for example +2.5) is the correction prescribed. The higher the number, the stronger the prescription lenses required.

‘Cyl’ (Cylinder) describes astigmatism (visual distortion caused by the shape of the eye) found. It tells you how far your eye is more rugby ball shaped than spherical. It can be written as either a plus or minus number.

‘Axis’ is a number between 0 and 180 which describes the angle in degrees of any rugby ball effect. This dictates how your lenses will be positioned.

Prism and Base is less common, but will show when you have a muscle imbalance in the eyes that prevents them working together well. Prism lenses help correct this and prevent double vision.

OD, OS and OU 

• OD is the abbreviation for oculus dexter, the Latin term for your right eye
• OS means oculus sinister or left eye
• OU means oculus uterque or each eye, so the same measurement applies to both of your eyes.

Add is the 'reading addition' number which indicates the amount of additional correction needed when focusing at a close distance.

Small amounts of variation in prescriptions from different opticians are perfectly normal (even the same optician testing you on a different occasion) due to the subjective answers you give. However, this variation should not normally be greater than the equivalent of two steps in the power of the lens (0.50 dioptres). 

Large variations may occur as a result of diabetes, and this would need further investigation.

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Eye testing at home for those who can't get to a store

If you can't get to a high street optician store because of a mental or physical disability or mobility problems, a home (domiciliary) sight test can be carried out free in your own home by an experienced optician.

This includes having new glasses fitted and provided, as well as eye testing.

For more information, go to the Federation of (Ophthalmic and Dispensing) Opticians (FODO) website or ask your chosen provider if they offer domiciliary services.

We'd recommend that, if you can, it's worth having a relative or a friend present with you for any at home service, as in the past there have been reports of issues with pressure selling. If you have any issues, first complain to the opticians and then, if your issue isn't resolved, you can go to the Optical Complaints Service.

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