tax credits and glasses

Help_needed

Hi, my son has just broken my glasses.
I have had these for about 18 months now.

As i have a NHS tax credit exemption card. Am i aloud to have another eye test and new glasses???

GlasweJen

How did you break them?

If it was a direct result of a medical condition (example an epileptic person breaking them during a seizure) then you can get your optician to apply to the health board for a discretionary voucher for repair or a replacement frame for the glasses (and lenses if they are badly scratched and can't be used any more).

If it is just carelessness breaking them then no, you can't get another voucher within 2 years of having one unless there has been a significant clinical change to your glasses prescription. You are also not entitled to another free test unless there has been a change (and you can't lie and say that you feel there has been as the optician will charge you if they don't find anything).

Your prescription is still in date so you can get any optician to make you up some specs, some companies do very basic glasses for a tenner (tesco do, not sure about specsavers).

nextyeartina

we have the exemption cert which entitles us to a free eye test plus either a free of glasses or so much towards a new pair. a few months after hubby's last eye test, he was advised by the doctor to have another as he was having trouble with his eyes. we had to pay for the test as he'd not long had the last one done, even though it was advised by the doctor.

t, x

adviceforall

nextyeartina wrote: »

we have the exemption cert which entitles us to a free eye test plus either a free of glasses or so much towards a new pair. a few months after hubby's last eye test, he was advised by the doctor to have another as he was having trouble with his eyes. we had to pay for the test as he'd not long had the last one done, even though it was advised by the doctor.

t, x

I had an eye test last year but needed another before the next appointment at the eye clinic and it was done free of charge as the hospital had requested it...
Not helpful to the op but just really replying to the above poster

GlasweJen

If it's a proper referral we do a supplementary test (i.e we have a letter from the doctor/hospital saying please test px _________ and give a prescription as necessary), we don't for people who just come in and tell us that their doctor wants their eyes tested without any sort of evidence.

MissMoneypenny

Help_needed wrote: »

Hi, my son has just broken my glasses.
I have had these for about 18 months now.

As i have a NHS tax credit exemption card. Am i aloud to have another eye test and new glasses???

Ask your optician for your prescription (they have to give it to you) then order your glasses from an online site, such as www.speckyfoureyes.com or look around on the other boards on this site to see which online company is doing special offers. Specky puts their offers on their facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/SpeckyFourEyes

GlasweJen

No redbu, the NHS funds sight tests annualy for people with diabetes, who take certain medications, who are under 16 and who are over 60. Everyone else is every 2 years.