NHS Eye Tests & Optical Vouchers
A complete guide for Essex care home managers and patients. Source: NHS UK, last reviewed July 2023.
Free NHS Home Eye Tests
You're entitled to a free NHS mobile sight test if you:
- Are 60 or over
- Are under 16 (or under 19 in full-time education)
- Have been diagnosed with diabetes or glaucoma
- Are registered partially sighted or blind
- Are 40+ with family history of glaucoma
- Receive Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
- Receive Income Support or income-based JSA
- Receive Universal Credit (meeting criteria)
- Hold a valid HC2 certificate
NHS Optical Vouchers (2026)
If you qualify for an NHS optical voucher, these are the contribution values towards glasses or contact lenses:
| Band A (low prescription) | £41.70 |
| Band B | £63.20 |
| Band C | £92.60 |
| Band D (high prescription) | £210.50 |
| Band E (very high) | £228.10 |
Complex lens voucher: £15.81 (single vision) or £40.57 (bifocal). Voucher values as of April 2026.
Mobile Sight Tests
If you're eligible for a free NHS sight test, you may also qualify for a mobile sight test — this is when an optometrist comes to visit you:
At home if you're unable to leave home unaccompanied
At a residential or care home
At a day centre
We provide mobile sight tests across Essex. Call 01268 777729 to check your eligibility.
← Back to Templeman Opticians · Book a Test · Check Eligibility
NHS optical voucher values as published on this page. We handle the claim for you.