Expert Eye Tests in Northern Ireland

Private and NHS

A sight test isn’t just about checking to see if you need glasses or contact lenses, although that’s obviously the main reason people visit an optician. A sight test is a check on the health of your eyes and can detect many common eye conditions that if found and treated early can significantly prevent potential sight loss. They can also spot health conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes in the early stages.

Most people should have an eye test every two years, although if you have a family history of glaucoma or diabetes, you’ll need to have your eyes checked more frequently. An expert eye test at Sam Baird Optician costs just £25 and is free to those who qualify for NHS sight tests.

You can check if you qualify for NHS entitlement by clicking the link

Advanced Scanning - Optical Coherence Tomography

An Optical Coherence Tomographer (OCT) is an instrument that scans below the surface of the retina and optic nerve. It’s used for diagnosing wet and dry AMD and allows us to add hospital grade scans to your referrals. It’s also useful for treating macular degeneration and glaucoma patients.

The enhanced scan of your retina can reveal changes and allows us to inspect layers of the retina which are otherwise unseen. It can identify changes early in cases of macular degeneration and the instrument analysis can reveal changes in potential glaucoma sufferers, before the data would register on a standard test. The equipment’s true value to our patients is the reassurance it can provide.
The cost of this scan is only £35.

Esterman Visual Field Test

If you’ve recently disclosed an eye condition that affects the quality of your vision, the DVLA will likely require you to take a visual field test.

The Esterman Visual Field Test is carried out on both eyes together (binocularly) and while wearing any glasses that you normally wear when driving. The test is carried out on a visual field analyser, a computerised machine where you respond to small, flashing lights by pressing a button whilst looking straight ahead.