Eye Health Care & Opticians
Optometrists are trained to:
- assess urgent eye problems
- perform thorough eye examinations
- check for eye disorders and
- manage and treat a wide range of common eye conditions.
They can attend to your visual needs no matter your age, from pre-school screening to managing conditions such as glaucoma, a cataract or macular degeneration.
If you have an eye problem, including an eye emergency, you can visit your optometrist for advice.
Optometrists have the same equipment as hospital ophthalmologists.
Following your examination, they may be able to treat and manage your eye problem at their practice, or refer you to your GP, or to a hospital eye clinic.
All optometrists are qualified and registered with the General Optical Council. NHS Grampian is providing further training and accreditation in eye health.
When will my optometrist be open?
Most optometrists are open during normal working hours from Monday to Friday. Some are open at weekends. Just book an appointment.
To find an optometrist, call the free NHS Grampian healthline on 08085 202030.
If you have an eye problem when your optometrist or GP is closed, and feel it can't wait, phone NHS 24 on 111.
Will I have to pay to have my eye problem examined?
No, the NHS pays for optometrists to provide eye care examinations, as well as your sight test.
Can I see any optometrist for eye care?
You can book an appointment with any optometrist in the NHS Grampian area. To find the one nearest you, call the free NHS Grampian healthline on 08085 202030 or visit Scotland's Service Directory on NHS Inform.
Will I have to buy spectacles?
No, there is no obligation to buy spectacles - your eye health care examination is paid for by the NHS.