How to Arrange an Eye Test for an Elderly Parent

The signs it is time

Parents rarely announce that their sight is failing. What families notice instead: the television creeping louder and closer, post left unopened, a bruise from a doorframe, letters written in wobbling lines, reading abandoned, or the small stumbles that everyone brushes off. Two years without a sight test is too long at any age; over 70, the NHS recommends a test at least every two years and often annually. And poor vision is one of the biggest drivers of falls in older people, which is the outcome every family is trying to avoid.

They do not have to get to the high street

Many families do not know this: if your parent cannot leave home on their own because of illness, disability or frailty, a full NHS eye examination can come to them. Not a shortened check. The same sight test and eye health examination they would get in a practice, done in their armchair by a GOC-registered optometrist with portable equipment.

Will the NHS pay?

The NHS funds the whole home visit when two things are both true: your parent qualifies for a free NHS sight test (being 60 or over is enough on its own), and they cannot leave home unaccompanied because of illness or disability. For most housebound parents over 60, that is a yes and a yes, so the visit costs nothing. If they do not qualify, a private home visit is from £49.

How to book on their behalf

You do not need to put your parent on the phone. Enquire with your own name and number, tell us roughly where they live, and we will call you to sort the details. Do tell your parent a visit is being arranged; the examination itself always happens with their agreement, and if their memory or capacity is limited, we simply involve you or their carer at every step. You are welcome to be there on the day, and many families choose to be.

What happens on the day

The optometrist arrives at the agreed time with everything needed and works at your parent's pace, in their own chair and their own light. Tests are adapted for hearing loss, dementia and limited mobility; there are ways to measure vision accurately that need no letters and very few words. You will get the findings in plain English before the visit ends, including anything that needs watching or a referral.

Glasses without the shop trip

If glasses are needed, frames are chosen at home from a proper range, then delivered and fitted at home once made. If your parent qualifies for NHS help with glasses through a qualifying benefit, an NHS optical voucher can cover some or all of the cost, and we handle that paperwork too.

A short checklist before you enquire

• Their date of birth, and whether they receive Pension Credit Guarantee Credit or another qualifying benefit
• Any eye conditions you know of, such as diabetes, glaucoma or cataract, and their current glasses
• The postcode where they live, and the days and times that suit the household
• Anything that helps us look after them well: dementia, hearing loss, a favourite chair by the window

Written by Bilal Abbas MCOptom, GOC No. 01-38339. Last updated: 12 September 2026