Everything we get asked, in plain English.

The NHS Sight Test scheme pays for a home eye test if a high-street test would be difficult or impossible for you. In practice, that means:

• You're unable to leave your home unaccompanied due to physical disability or mobility difficulty.
• You have a mental-health condition or dementia that makes a busy practice unsuitable.
• You're elderly and find public transport, stairs or waiting rooms unsafe or distressing.
• You live in residential care — a care home, sheltered housing or supported-living scheme.

If you're not sure, call us — our coordinators can check in two minutes.

For an eye test — no. You (or a relative) can ring us directly. We confirm eligibility on the call and the appointment is booked in the same conversation.

For audiology, some NHS pathways require a GP referral and some allow self-referral. We'll tell you which applies to your area when you ring.

A private home eye test is £75. A private home hearing assessment is £95. There's no call-out fee. Frames, lenses and hearing aids are charged at the same prices as a high-street practice.

Yes — if you also qualify for an NHS optical voucher (most people who qualify for a free NHS sight test do). The voucher covers a frame from our NHS-voucher range and standard single-vision lenses. Upgrades (varifocals, designer frames, thinner lenses) are paid as a top-up.

Absolutely — privately. We're an NHS-contracted service, but we also see private patients of any age. The clinical assessment is identical; you just don't get NHS funding for the test or the voucher towards a frame.

No — we work across the South East of England: Greater London, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Surrey, Sussex and Berkshire. Check your postcode here. If you're outside our patch we'll happily point you to a trusted provider in your area.

You're welcome to keep using us as a private patient. We never want a change in your health or circumstance to mean a change of clinician — the same person can keep visiting on a private basis.

Yes. Our opticians are registered with the General Optical Council (GOC). Our audiologists are registered with the HCPC. We're an NHS-contracted provider and registered with the Information Commissioner's Office for data protection.

Very common and very welcome. About 70% of our bookings are made by adult children for their parents. Just ring with the patient's name, address and a brief description of why they need a home test — we'll do the rest.

There's a single NHS sight-test form (GOS6) to sign on the day — your clinician will fill it in for you and just needs your signature. No paperwork before the visit.

About an hour from setup to packing away — the same as a high-street practice. We never rush a patient through.

A portable LogMAR/Snellen chart, a full trial frame and lens set, a retinoscope, a direct ophthalmoscope, a portable slit lamp, and a handheld fundus camera for retinal photography. Everything fits in two cases.

Yes. The standards and technique are identical — your prescription is written on a standard GOS form and can be taken to any practice in the UK.

Single-vision glasses: typically 7–10 working days. Varifocals: 10–14 days. We return to your home for the fitting — there's no need to collect anything.

Yes — we bring a travelling collection of over 200 frames to every visit. NHS-voucher range, mid-range acetate, and premium designer styles.

Yes — varifocals, bifocals and single-vision. We measure heights and pupillary distance at the fitting visit to make sure the corridor is in the right place.

Every test includes a full internal eye health check: ophthalmoscopy of the retina, optic nerve and blood vessels, and digital retinal photography. We screen for glaucoma, AMD, diabetic retinopathy, cataracts and signs of hypertension.

We write to your GP within 48 hours with our findings and copies of any retinal images. Urgent referrals are made the same day.

Yes — if the frames are sound and the new lens shape will fit. We'll take the frames away with us and return them with the new lenses fitted, usually within 10 working days.

We come back. Fittings and adjustments after the initial fitting are always free and at home. Many patients need a small frame tweak after a few days of wear — that's expected.

Yes — and reactions/transitions lenses too. Useful for outdoor activities or patients who are light-sensitive after cataract surgery.

Most adults: every two years. Over 70, diabetic, or with a family history of glaucoma: every year. We'll remind you when you're due.

About 90 minutes covering otoscopy (looking inside the ear), pure-tone audiometry, speech-in-noise testing and tympanometry. See our hearing tests page for a full breakdown.

If you're eligible for the NHS audiology pathway, yes — you'll be offered an NHS-issue BTE hearing aid free, with free batteries and aftercare for life. Most over-65s qualify.

From £1,250 a pair for a receiver-in-canal model, through to £1,895 for a custom in-the-ear unit. All include the assessment, fitting, follow-ups for 12 months, and a 60-day money-back trial.

Yes — by microsuction, the safer modern alternative to syringing. £140 flat for an at-home visit, including full otoscopy on both ears. Done by the same audiologist who tests your hearing.

Usually 2–6 weeks. The brain has to relearn high frequencies it hasn't heard for years — initially this can feel "tinny." We schedule a follow-up visit at week 2 and week 6 to fine-tune the settings.

Three of the most common hearing-aid styles:

• BTE — Behind-the-ear. Robust, powerful, easy to handle. Standard NHS issue.
• RIC — Receiver-in-canal. Discreet, with the speaker inside the ear canal. Usually Bluetooth-enabled.
• ITE — In-the-ear. Custom-moulded for almost invisible wear. Best for mild-to-moderate loss.

Yes — privately, at the price tiers above. We don't pressure you to go private if you're eligible for NHS; we'll always tell you what each pathway offers.

The hearing test itself tells us. If we find your hearing is normal, we'll say so — and you'll have a baseline audiogram for future reference. About 1 in 6 of our first-time hearing assessments come back as "normal for age."

Often, yes — particularly when tinnitus is paired with hearing loss. Restoring high-frequency hearing tends to reduce the brain's reliance on the phantom signal. Some modern aids also have built-in tinnitus masking sounds.

Usually, yes — most major brands. Re-tubing, cleaning, troubleshooting and re-programming where we have the manufacturer's software. We charge a fixed £45 visit fee for non-HomeSight aids.

You'll get a confirmation letter or email with your clinician's name and photo before the visit. They'll arrive with a HomeSight ID badge with their GOC/HCPC registration number. You're welcome to check that number on the public register.

Absolutely — and we'd encourage it. Many patients prefer it, particularly during the discussion at the end. We can also send a written summary to a named family member or carer.

A table (kitchen, dining or coffee), a comfortable chair, and a quiet room you can dim slightly for the eye-health check. About a 3-metre line of sight for the distance chart.

We can carry out a bedside eye test using portable kit. Audiology tests can also be done bedside. Routine in care homes and for hospice patients.

We rarely use dilating drops for a routine home test — modern handheld imaging lets us see the retina without dilating. If we do use drops (occasionally for a fuller examination), they sting briefly and blur vision for a couple of hours.

Just ring us — 24 hours' notice is appreciated but never essential. No cancellation fee, ever.

Our office hours are Monday to Friday, 9 to 5. We do offer a small number of early-evening slots (until 7pm) for working family members who want to be present for a parent's visit. Ask when you book.

Yes — for private-test payments and any frame/lens upgrades. We accept all major debit and credit cards, contactless and Apple/Google Pay. We never ask for card details on the phone.

We schedule routine eye and hearing visits at a frequency that suits your home (typically quarterly, six-monthly or annual). You get a single named coordinator and visit reports within 48 hours. See our care-homes page.

No. The service is free of charge to the home. NHS-eligible residents are fully NHS-funded; we cover the visit costs for non-eligible residents from our private-test revenue.

Yes. Every clinician and coordinator completes mandatory training in dementia care, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and best-interest decision-making. Refreshed annually.

Our visit reports are designed with CQC inspectors in mind. Each resident gets a signed visit summary suitable for filing in their care plan, plus a summary register for the whole home.

Yes — new admissions are picked up at the next quarterly visit, or sooner if clinically urgent. No extra paperwork from your team.

Yes — nursing homes, residential care, sheltered housing, supported-living schemes and palliative-care units. The pathway adjusts to each setting; for nursing residents we coordinate closely with the nurse-in-charge.

Never. Whether you're an NHS or private patient, there's no charge for the visit itself beyond the headline test fee.

At the end of the visit, by card on a portable reader. No invoices, no chasing letters.

Yes — we offer 0% interest over 12 months on premium hearing aids over £1,000, subject to status. We use a regulated third-party finance provider.

Yes — every private hearing-aid purchase comes with a 60-day money-back trial. If you're not satisfied, return them within 60 days for a full refund (less a £50 fitting fee).

If you're on Pension Credit, Universal Credit (income-related), Income Support or Income-related ESA, you automatically qualify for an NHS Sight Test and may qualify for an NHS optical voucher. Bring evidence and we'll process it for you.

Only you, your clinical team, and anyone you explicitly nominate (a relative, carer or care-home manager). We never share data with insurers or commercial third parties.

Yes — free, within one calendar month, under your UK GDPR Subject Access Right. Just email dpo@homesightonline.co.uk with proof of identity.

Adult patient clinical records: 10 years after last contact, in line with NHS guidance. After this, they are securely destroyed.

Stored on UK-hosted, ISO 27001-certified servers. Encrypted in transit and at rest. We provide them as part of any Subject Access Request.

Yes — every clinician and every coordinator holds an enhanced DBS check, renewed every three years. We won't visit without it.

We follow the Mental Capacity Act 2005. If a patient can't consent, we work with a lasting power of attorney, family or care-home manager to make a best-interest decision. Everything is documented.

Speak to our safeguarding lead Eleanor Hughes directly on 0800 080 6095 or email safeguarding@homesightonline.co.uk. Concerns are acknowledged within 24 hours.

Yes — we try hard for continuity, especially for patients with dementia or anxiety. About 90% of repeat visits in a year are by the same clinician.

Email feedback@homesightonline.co.uk or write to Eleanor Hughes at our head office. We acknowledge complaints within 3 working days and respond fully within 20. If you're unhappy with our response, you can escalate to the GOC, HCPC or NHS England.