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Coronavirus Update

Posted by Barry Slowey

Following General Optical Council advice we have been advised to stop all routine eye examinations and contact lens appointments for now.
WE ARE OPEN for emergencies and essential eyecare only.
If you have an eyecare emergency ring us or book a telephone consultation in advance (using our online booking system) before attending to the practice.

NO ONE WILL BE ADMITTED WITHOUT AN APPOINTMENT.

One our optometrists will call you back and advise over the telephone. If you then need to come into practice, when you arrive you will be asked to wash your hands and take a seat at the front of the practice. Our staff will adhere to social distancing at all times.
If you have any COVID-19 signs or symptoms (persistent cough, high temperature or any flu like symptoms) – STAY AT HOME.
If you have just travelled back from a high-risk country – STAY AT HOME.
If anybody in your household has any COVID-19 signs or symptoms – STAY AT HOME.

Eyecare emergencies will be assessed on a case by case basis. This may include things like lost/broken glasses etc. We plan to operate a drop off service for repairs that are needed. We’ll be in touch again this week regarding that. If you are isolating and isolated we will make arrangements to help anyway we can. We are mindful that those looking after us on the frontline and in essential services will continue to require eyecare. We are also mindful of the distress that isolating at home and having vision issues may bring. We have to balance providing of that service and the protection of our staff, the public and ourselves. For as long as we are allowed we will remain operational to provide the best service we can.

If you are a direct debit patient who receives their lenses by post this will continue as normal. If your sight test or contact lens check is overdue we have been advised that our optometrists can assess you over the phone and continue supplying you with your contact lenses or with new glasses.
Please feel free to give us a call if you have any queries.

Stay safe,
Visioncare Opticians

Northside Centre 02871350250
Limavady 02877722213

Eye on the ball!

Posted by Barry Slowey

Sports enthusiast Dylan Doherty started to develop eyesight issues at the young age of 15. He couldn’t see the board in school and he didn’t want to get behind in his studies. Dylan went to Visioncare for an eye test and was fitted with glasses to counteract shortsightedness. He instantly noticed a massive improvement at school.

An avid sportsman, playing Gaelic for his county and soccer for Derry City, Dylan was concerned that glasses would present a problem when he was playing sport. He wanted a solution that would work while he was on the pitch. Dylan explains:

“Visioncare suggested that I use daily disposables when playing sport. I was fitted for contact lenses and I wear the daily disposables for games and training, approximately five times a week.   Daily disposable, one use contacts, are the perfect option for anyone with a busy lifestyle. They can be used once and then disposed, as opposed to lenses you have to clean and use again.

“I still wear glasses and get eye tests once a year. I’m glad I got my eyes tested when I did as it has made a massive difference to my world. 

“Visioncare also offered an enhanced eye examination that included a scan of my retina https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72XNaBJogu4. For me, having your eyes tested for vision and general eye health can help identify problems early on. I have the confidence to live my life to the full and would highly recommend the service and aftercare that is available from the Visioncare team.

“For a 20 year old guy, cost is also an important factor for me.  I normally buy one box of contact lenses at a time which works well from a budgeting point of view. The staff at Visioncare always ensure that these are in stock which is vital as sometimes I only place my order last minute. An added bonus for me is that the Derry practice has free and convenient car parking.”

Optician Barry Slowey adds:

“Dylan’s eyesight problem is called myopia, commonly referred to as shortsightedness. In the absence of glasses or contact lenses he can only see things that are very near to him. Everything beyond arm’s length is completely blurred. With glasses or contact lenses his vision is excellent. Dylan wears Clariti dailies https://coopervision.co.uk/contact-lenses/clariti-1-day-family, which are made using a silicone hydrogel material that allows a high amount of oxygen into the eye and resists drying out. This type of lens is ideal for sports enthusiasts, especially for those who are training outdoors.

“We will also be making Dylan a new pair of glasses. His spectacle lenses would normally be very thick so we will make him glasses with a ‘hi-index’ thinned down lens optimised by our lens making machinery  giving him stylish glasses that look good and are not noticeably thick.”