After your eye examination

Your optometrist will always discuss the results of your eye examination with you. You may find it helpful to make notes or to ask the optometrist to write down key points, so that you may refer to them later. Don’t be afraid to ask your optometrist about anything you don’t understand.

Results from your eye examination

If you don't need glasses or contact lenses and your eyes are healthy, your optometrist will give you a note that explains this. They’ll invite you to return for your next eye test, and they’ll let you know when this should be.

Find out more about looking after your eyes.

If you need glasses or contact lenses, the optometrist should provide you with:

A paper copy of your prescription.
An explanation of the kind of glasses or lenses you need.
An explanation about why and when you need to use them.

A pair of glasses can be made for you from your prescription. The College of Optometrists recommends that you have your glasses made by the optometrist who carried out your eye test. However, you're entitled to take the prescription to another optometrist if you prefer.

If signs of an eye condition have been detected, the optometrist should explain this to you. If they think further tests are needed, they’ll refer you to another specialist in the most appropriate way. This may depend on the system in place where you live and can be:

with a letter to your GP to arrange an appointment at the hospital with an ophthalmologist (hospital eye doctor)
with a letter for you to take to the local Accident and Emergency (A&E) department if they think you need to be seen quickly.
to a specialist optometrist within an additional eyecare scheme, if this service is available in your area. Some minor eye conditions can be treated by this optometrist without needing to refer you to the hospital. However, they can still refer you to an ophthalmologist if it’s necessary.

Ask your optician to explain what will happen next with your referral and how long you should expect to wait.

Waiting for a hospital eye appointment can be a difficult time, and we’re here to help and support you at every step. You can call our Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or email  [email protected] for further advice and information that may be helpful while you are waiting.

We also have a guide to waiting for an eye appointment which you might find helpful:

Download our Waiting to see an eye specialist guide (English)

Download our Waiting to see an eye specialist guide (Welsh)