Frequently Asked Eyecare Questions

Silver & Rose Independent Opticians & Audiologists have a range of frames and lenses that will be covered by using your NHS  voucher. We accept NHS vouchers from any other registered Opticians.

Myopia/Short-Sighted: This is an eye condition where the objects in the distance appear blurry and objects close up appear clear. However, this does vary with its severity. People may also squint or have eye strain. It usually occurs when the eye is either too long, the lens inside the eye is too powerful or the cornea is too powerful. This causes the light in the eye to focus in front of rather than on the retina and is corrected with minus lenses.

Hyperopia/Long-Sighted: This is an eye condition where objects close up appear blurred and clear in the distance but again this varies with how severe the prescription is. Other common symptoms are headaches, trouble focusing or eye strain and squinting. This normally occurs when the eye is too small or the lens/cornea is too weak and light focuses behind the retina. It is corrected with plus lenses.

Whether you need new nose pads, have lost a screw or your glasses need to be realigned, accurately adjusted or secured, call into our practice with your spectacles and we will do our best to see if we can help you out. Most repairs can be carried out at our on-site Optical Laboratory, however, if your glasses need a part to be ordered, you may have to leave them with us for a few days.

It is recommended by the General Optical Council that most adults should have an eye test every 2 years. Children under 16 can be 1-2 years. At Silver & Rose, we suggest an annual test is advisable for anyone who has diabetes or a direct relative with glaucoma (over 40). We may also advise annual eye exams for various other reasons.

Standard Sunglass lenses help to protect our eyes from harmful UV rays, however, they do not block out sudden glare you can experience from water or when driving. This glare can often be blinding and hazardous. Polarised lenses act as a filter that blocks unwanted visible light reflected from horizontal surfaces such as water and the road, allowing the wearer to obtain a more comfortable vision and better clarity. Polarised lenses are great for specific activities, for example, drivers and fishermen.

Varifocal lenses are essentially a spectacle lens that contains the correct power for all visual tasks that you may need to do in one single lens. In varifocals, you can read, use your computer screen or laptop and drive comfortably making them a very convenient pair of spectacles. The lenses are blended and the different segments are seamless, so cosmetically they look just like a normal spectacle lens! Carrying several pairs of spectacles around with you can be frustrating so varifocals are a convenient and effective way of eliminating this problem by incorporating all you need in one pair of glasses.

Astigmatism is when the cornea/lens is irregular in shape. Instead of being spherical (like a football) they tend to be curved or ”rugby ball” shaped. Symptoms include blurry vision, eye strain and headaches. Most people will have some level of astigmatism and it is usually present in conjunction with being long-sighted or short-sighted.

AMD occurs when the macula which the ‘fine point’ on the retina becomes damaged. There are 2 forms of AMD: wet and dry. It usually affects the central vision and can cause difficulty reading, distorted vision and colours to appear washed out.

Dry AMD: this happens when there is a build-up of deposits on the macula called drusen. It is the most common form of AMD and is the less severe of the two. There is no known treatment at present, however, there are some lifestyle changes which can help the progression of the disease.

Wet AMD: this happens when abnormal blood vessels grow under the macula causing a build-up of fluid. Wet AMD is usually treated with injections or laser treatment and it is vital that is treated ASAP (usually within a few days) to prevent vision worsening. Symptoms include distorted vision, blind spots or a sudden drop in vision. If any of the above happen, attend your optometrist immediately. Risk Factors: age, smoking, UV light, diet.

Lifestyle changes: to help prevent/slow down the progression of AMD ◦ stop smoking ◦ keep your eyes protected from UV e.g. sunglasses ◦ have a good varied diet with plenty of fruit and veg. There are also vitamins (lutein) which have been proven to help and should be taken in conjunction with a good diet cut down on alcohol and keep a healthy weight

Presbyopia is a normal ageing process where the lens inside the eye becomes harder and thicker. This causes difficulty with focusing up close/reading. Symptoms include difficulty with near tasks, holding objects further away to see them clearly, having headaches and eye strain. It usually starts age 40+ and can be corrected with prescription glasses.

No. This is a very common myth! Contact lenses may occasionally get stuck under your eyelid, but that is easily dealt with. Your lens cannot get lost at the back of your eye! Your eyelids connect with your eye to form a barrier meaning that it is impossible for a lens to get through.

No, you must not wear your lenses whilst swimming, using a sauna or jacuzzi or even bathing. Water borne bacteria and other bugs such as acanthamoeba can attach to contact lenses and cause infection. This is particularly a problem in public pools where there can be traces of urine and all things unpleasant. Why not buy some prescription goggles if you are serious about swimming? Goggles over your contact lenses are not ideal as water can seep in.

Yes, you can! Research and development are constantly ongoing in the contact lens world meaning more and more people than ever are now able to wear contact lenses. It is now possible to have contact lenses in daily disposable and reusables to correct your astigmatism. They are usually known as ‘toric’ contact lenses.

Absolutely! In fact, you may find wearing lenses whilst partaking in your favourite sport is more convenient for you. Glasses can slip down your nose or break on impact, whereas your contact lenses should stay put. At Silver & Rose, we can advise you on the best type of lenses for your needs.

Daily disposable lenses are worn for 1 day only and then discarded. You should never wear a daily disposable lens for more than one day. Reusable lenses are worn every day and replaced as advised by your contact lens optician. At Silver & Rose, we usually recommend you change your lenses every 2 weeks or monthly depending on the brand we prescribe. You will need to clean and disinfect your reusable lenses every day.

A contact lens prescription requires various measurements to be included, such as the curvature and size of the contact lens needed to fit your eye. The power required is usually different to your glasses prescription too, as your lens fits directly on your eye.