Last week I went along to Bayfields Opticians for what I thought would be a fairly straightforward routine eye exam. I’d been before for sight tests, but this time the appointment went a little further than usual and, as it turned out, it was both informative and surprisingly entertaining.

Now, I’ll admit something: I’m quite a competitive person. Tests and I don’t always get along, especially the kind you can’t revise for. After all, how do you prepare for the state of your own eyesight? So I walked in feeling just a little apprehensive, but ready to face whatever charts and machines were put in front of me.

What happened next?

The optometrist was welcoming and put me at ease straight away. We began with the classic sight test, reading out the smallest line of letters I could make out. Only this time, the letters were reflected in a mirror behind me, which felt a bit like trying to crack a code in a spy film.

We moved on to lenses, lights, and various checks to find out what prescription suited me best. I confessed that I already had a pair of glasses but didn’t wear them because they made me feel queasy. She tested them and, sure enough, discovered that the prescription wasn’t quite right. She also spotted something new: astigmatism, a condition that affects the way light focuses on the back of the eye.

After the basics came the high-tech part. I had an OCT scan, a detailed image of the back of the eye that can reveal early signs of conditions like diabetes, glaucoma, and even rare eye cancers such as ocular melanoma.

“It was fascinating to see the layers of my eye mapped out in 3D on the screen, almost like looking at a topographical map of a tiny planet. Another scan measured the thickness of the corneal layer and yes, I was impressed enough to ask to see the results in detail.”

Then came the pressure test, the one where a small puff of air hits your eye. I’d been told everyone jumps, so of course I set myself the challenge of being the one who wouldn’t. I failed. My eye did that instinctive blink and jump reaction that everyone else apparently does. Competitive streak: 0. Air puff: 1.

The optometrist then took me through the results in detail, looking at the optic nerve, macula, and overall eye health. Thankfully, all was well. The only concerning bit was hearing that my eyesight had slipped closer to the legal driving limit, not exactly the kind of test you want to scrape through by the skin of your teeth!

To round things off, I spoke with the reception team about glasses options and possible prescriptions. All in all, it was a really positive experience. I came away reassured about my eye health, with a new appreciation for just how much these routine tests can pick up. Even the competitive part of me had to admit, it felt like a win.

And as a final bonus, my sister got an Amazon voucher out of it because I’d used a referral. Free eye health check for me, a voucher for her, not bad for a routine appointment.

Why share this?

Because many of us put off eye tests until we feel there’s a problem. But as I found, they’re about far more than reading letters off a chart. They’re an opportunity to spot changes early, protect your sight, and sometimes even your wider health.

So, if you’ve not had one in a while, consider this your friendly nudge to book in.