Maternity exemption and eye tests

[pigleychez]

Anyone know what the Maternity exemption card actually covers with regards to eye tests and glasses.

The past 6mths ive really noticed my eye sight getting much worse. Pretty sure ill need glasses for short sightedness. Been putting it off for ages and would prefer not to wear glasses but its getting silly now.

If I do need glasses would anything be covered under the exemption card or not? Have i left it too late now as DD2 is 2 weeks old? - although prescriptions are up to a year after.

I'm not sure if you're still covered, but I do know that what the NHS pays for isn't much compared to what is available at most opticians these days. I get NHS "free" sight tests because of poor eyesight, but that hardly covers half of the price of a check-up at Vision Express. And most fashionable glasses and thin lenses are never covered by the NHS. So even if you do get a free sight test with the exemption, it won't cover much of the usual actual cost of getting glasses.

Just checked and it's free prescriptions and (NHS) dental treatment only. So I don't think it covers anything at an optician.

It doesn't cover anything to do with sight as pregnancy doesn't cause deterioration in eye sight. It can cause dental and gum problems and health problems hence the need for exemptions for them.

I thought Tesco offered free eye tests to everybody these days? Might be worth investigating?

I went for an eye test prior whilst under the maternity prescription exemption and no you don't get a free one unfortunately . The optician did recommend waiting six months after giving birth before having the test and buying new glasses since your eyesight can change after childbirth apparently