Scotland-free eye test?

clkaz

I am 17, and starting university this year, and have just finished school.

I am not yet due my eye test but it is due close to when I start university when I will be moving away from home. I would like to get contact lenses and I think there are frequent checkups at first since I will be new.

So I am wondering if I will be able to get a free eye test for contact lenses before my next test is due. I am in Scotland and not really sure how it works.

Can anyone shed any light on this?

According to this document, I am eligible for a free eye test every 2 years since I am over 16 now

hcb42

If you are in full time education you get an eye test free anway?

I have never paid for a contact lens check, as I have a 12 month rolling contract for monthly lenses (which indeed includes a free eyetest every two years) . Suggest you go to your opticians and see what they can offer.

clkaz

hcb42 wrote: »

If you are in full time education you get an eye test free anway?

I have never paid for a contact lens check, as I have a 12 month rolling contract for monthly lenses (which indeed includes a free eyetest every two years) . Suggest you go to your opticians and see what they can offer.

Yes, I know eye test are free for everyone in Scotland now anyway since the NHS pays for them, but I can't find much information on how often this eye test is for under 19 year olds in full time education. According to the document link I posted in my first post, I can have a free eye test on the NHS every 2 years since I am now over 16 years old.

Do specsavers do free eye test anyway for people looking to purchase contact lens?

CountryGuy

Is it Scotland or Wales that get free prescritions yet they are still under our government?

Or have I been mislead?

hcb42

both I think.

clemmatis

CountryGuy wrote: »

Is it Scotland or Wales that get free prescritions yet they are still under our government?

Or have I been mislead?

(Still under the British government) Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland all now have free prescriptions. (But not free eye tests.)

Torry_Quine

Yes you are entitled to a free eye-test in Scotland. It is normally every two years unless the optician says you should have a more frequent test. That is whether you use glasses or contacts.

Witchfinder_General

clkaz wrote: »

Do specsavers do free eye test anyway for people looking to purchase contact lens?

No they don't. However, if you are on one of their contact lens direct debit schemes for lenses. Your 12 month annual eye check is included.

CountryGuy

Then how come England doesn't get them free as we are under the British Government too?

clkaz

CountryGuy wrote: »

Then how come England doesn't get them free as we are under the British Government too?

Just to clear some things up. Scotland has its own Parliament as I am sure many are aware, and it has been given the power by Wesminster/ British Government to control health and education in Scotland, naming two of the major ones.

This is why we get free university tuition fees, free prescriptions for EVERYONE now, free eye test every 2 years for everyone! I don't know how it is in England regarding health.

Apologies if some of this sounded condescending, just wanted to clarify things.

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Back to my question, could I get contact lenses from my opticians using my current prescription? Would the consultation cost money if I was to use the trial?

clemmatis

CountryGuy wrote: »

Then how come England doesn't get them free as we are under the British Government too?

Just to add to clkaz' reply, Wales has the Welsh Assembly and has power, more limited than Scotland's, to control Health and Education.

The British Goverment is free to bring in free prescriptions in England if it wants to. I would trade Welsh free prescriptions for English waiting list times, any day.