A happy family is at the heart of a stable society. Parents glow if their children do well at school and their children thrive on a stable relationship between their parents. A relationship which can be put under a lot of pressure in these austere times.
When anyone in the family has their eyes tested, the outcome will be intimately affected by the well-being of every other family member.
We are so aware through our work with children who have reading difficulties, and the importance of vision in sport, that a cohesive family relationship is a delicate and precious thing.
It is becoming more and more apparent that visual problems in any individual can have a profound effect in the short and long term, not just in dealing with day-to-day problems but also on general and psychological health.
It is very important to Optical3 that we do everything we can to support the family network. It is a delight to us when all family members are part of the practice. Not just because it helps us to understand the inter-family relationships, but because the family is saying to us, we trust you to look after our eyes.
Contact lenses
Contact lenses can be liberating and life transforming and certainly a primary consideration before taking the drastic and permanent step of refractive surgery or laser treatment.
Contact lenses cannot be considered in isolation from spectacles. Sometimes vision needs to be enhanced by wearing specs over the top of contact lenses to correct eye co-ordination or for reading. It is also important to keep ordinary spectacle up to date so that good ocular health can be confirmed. Spectacles are essential if contact lenses are lost or damaged or if an eye infection occurs.
The contact lens trial will usually need an enhanced assessment, which looks at every aspect of wear including current prescription, binocular balance, reading difficulties, history of ocular and systemic health. We also look at any underlying condition, which might affect visual comfort like dry eyes and diet.
Contact lens wear is managed through Eyeplan to make sure that your eyes are not neglected and any underlying contact lens related problems do not escalate in to sight threatening conditions.
All types of lenses are considered and tailored to the need of the individual including the latest third generations silicone hydrogel lenses, daily and month replacement and extended wear. We also fit rigid gas permeable lenses, which very often give the most stable and highest level of optical clarity, these are also available in most of the gas permeable materials. Varifocal contact lenses are now available to enhance daily wear.
Eyeplan
We are committed to the long-term health of our patients and the prevention of ocular systemic and psychological morbidity. This is supported by regular eye examinations and keeping spectacle and contact lenses up-to-date to maximise visual performance.
Eyeplan is designed to make this cost manageable with unlimited visits allowed at no extra cost, a breakage replacement guarantee, and 25% discount on the cost of your glasses. All contact lens wear is managed through Eyeplan. If you have a commitment to the long-term health of your eyes and all the health benefits that ensue, we hope that Eyeplan will give you great peace of mind.
Dispensing
The dispensing of spectacles is an integral part of the eye examination. It can profoundly affect the planning and general direction of your eye care, something that is very difficult to do should you take your prescription elsewhere.
Exactly how the spectacle prescription is dispensed, what type of lenses are used, and how the frame fits, are essential to a successful outcome.
For this reason, we strongly recommend that you have your sight test and spectacles dispensed at the same place. If you decide to take your prescription for dispensing elsewhere, it is important that you ask your new optician to re-check your prescription before they dispense your spectacles, as they will now be taking responsibility for the overall outcome.
Unfortunately, if you are an eyeplan member, we will not be able to maintain your contract and benefits under these circumstances.