What tests do you get done at your opticians when you have an eye test?

[Floyd45]

Just wondering…my local optician has told me that in our 50s we should have annual eye exams and a whole list of tests that cost £250 which seems pretty excessive. Just wondering what everyone else was doing and what was the norm.

If it's one of the big chains, they're under pressure to upsell. Mine tries to sell me a digital photo of the back of my eye, I think it is. I have no idea how much it would be.
The standard tests, that are included with an eye test in the bog standard price if you're in a UK nation which pays, are sufficient. If there were other essential tests to be done as part of an eye exam, they'd be included.

There's a difference between a sight test and an eye exam, the latter includes the former but also a check-up on your eyes.

https://www.college-optometrists.org/clinical-guidance/guidance/knowledge,-skills-and-performance/the-routine-eye-examination

I couldn't find NICE guidance on what an eye exam should include, but the info in that link has what would be standard and what might be extra. As the pp said, whether they are doing a sight test or an eye exam is the crucial difference!

I'm not sure about £250 worth of tests but I'd always upgrade to the OCT scan. It detected that my son had a detached retina, which a previous exam without the scan had missed.

Depends a bit on your eyes (and finances)
I have a history of complicated prescriptions and weird eyes. It's very useful for me to know how my retina is looking.
Eyesight changes in your 50's. I've needed surgery on both of my eyes recently.
Other people will breeze through with maybe just some reading glasses!

@Justkeepingplatesspinning that's an interesting link and I will look at it. I do think that some opticians are always trying to upsell and to be honest, most issues can be detected with slit lamp/pressures/visual fields plus OCT and/or retinal images when you are a bit older or have had issues in the past. I was being pushed tests beyond this - i.e. gonioscopy and some other super special hospital grade scans. If there is something suspicious with my eyes I would rather be referred to an ophthalmologist and investigated by them. When my DS1 was 10 an optician tried to tell me he had "latent long sight" because he didn't like reading and wanted to put him into glasses with a very strong prescription so his eyes could "relax". He told me he just didn't like books! I got a second opinion and apparently his eyes were completely normal for a child of that eye as everyone has some latent long sightedness as a kid that they accommodate for. He is now at university and still doesn't wear glasses as he has 20/20 vision! So maybe I am always a little bit suspicious.

I think being cautious about what they're trying to upsell, and whether it's worth it or needed, is always helpful.
It does feel as though they're using the worry factor to encourage people to spend money on these things! By the time you've paid for the scans and then glasses, sunglasses etc you're the best part of £1000 lighter.

I qualify for free eye tests due to a family history of glaucoma so I do pay for the scans - I think it was around £20?

I’ve never heard of someone paying £250 for tests at an optician!
Are you in the uk?
I have a bit of a complicated eye history so am under a hospital consultant for Glaucoma and have had lens replacement due to cataracts. I also have a visual field defect.

All these are covered as standard with an additional £10/£20 for an OCT( retinal scan)