# Eye tests for elderly parents at home

> People over 60 should have an eye test every year, because cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration become more common with age and often cause no early symptoms. If getting to a practice is difficult, a mobile optometrist can do the eye test at home, in a retirement village or in a care home. See Better does this across Gauteng.

Source: https://seebetter.co.za/blog/eye-tests-for-elderly-at-home/
Publisher: See Better (https://seebetter.co.za/)
Section: Driving, work and seniors
Published: 2026-10-11
Last updated: 2026-10-11

## Key points

- Yearly eye tests are recommended from age 60.
- Poor vision raises the risk of falls, medication mistakes and isolation.
- Older people often do not mention failing sight, so watch for changes in behaviour.
- A home visit removes the travel, the waiting room and the stress.

## Why eye tests matter more with age

Some change in vision is a normal part of ageing: needing more light, slower focusing and more trouble with glare. But the conditions that take sight away also become more common each decade:

- **[Cataracts](https://seebetter.co.za/blog/cataract-symptoms/).** Clouding of the lens. Very common, and curable with surgery.
- **[Glaucoma](https://seebetter.co.za/blog/glaucoma-symptoms-and-testing/).** Damage to the optic nerve, with no symptoms until late.
- **[Macular degeneration](https://seebetter.co.za/blog/macular-degeneration-early-signs/).** Loss of central vision.
- **[Diabetic eye disease](https://seebetter.co.za/blog/diabetes-and-your-eyes/).** Damage to the blood vessels of the retina.

Most of these can be treated or slowed if they are found early. A large share of poor eyesight in older people also turns out to be nothing more than the wrong glasses: an old prescription, scratched lenses, or two pairs that have been mixed up.

## What poor vision does to an older person's life

- **Falls.** Poor vision is one of the main risk factors for falls, and a fall is often what ends an older person's independence.
- **Medication mistakes.** Small print on labels and look-alike tablets are a real danger.
- **Loss of independence.** Cooking, using a phone, handling money and getting around all depend on sight.
- **Isolation and low mood.** People who cannot see faces, read or watch TV withdraw from the things they enjoy.
- **Confusion.** Poor sight can make memory problems look worse than they are.

Correcting vision does not solve everything, but it is one of the simplest ways to improve an older person's safety and quality of life.

## Signs that a parent's sight is failing

Older people often say nothing. Some assume it is just age, some do not want to be a burden, and some fear losing their driving licence. Look for:

- bumping into furniture or door frames, or shuffling and feeling for steps
- spilling drinks, knocking things over or missing the cup when pouring
- giving up reading, sewing, crosswords or the Bible
- sitting closer to the TV, or losing interest in it
- not recognising people until they speak
- difficulty with the phone, the remote control or the microwave
- wearing stained clothes, or mismatched ones
- squinting, tilting the head or complaining about glare and poor light
- unopened post and unpaid accounts
- new dents and scrapes on the car

> Sudden loss of vision, sudden double vision, a curtain across the sight or a painful red eye is an emergency at any age. Go to a hospital emergency unit.

## Why getting to an optometrist is hard

For many older people, the obstacle is not willingness. It is logistics: they no longer drive, they depend on a family member taking time off work, they use a walker or a wheelchair, or they find long outings exhausting. For someone with dementia, an unfamiliar, busy place can be distressing. So the eye test is postponed, sometimes for many years.

## How a home eye test works

The optometrist comes to the person, with the testing equipment, and sets up in their lounge or bedroom, or in a quiet room at their retirement village or care home.

- The test covers the same ground as one in a practice: sight at distance and near, the prescription, how the eyes work together and the health of the eyes.
- It is done at the person's pace, in their own chair, with a family member or carer present if they wish.
- If glasses are needed, you can choose a frame and lenses, with the eye test included in the package price.
- If the optometrist finds signs of a condition that needs treatment, they refer the person to an ophthalmologist or doctor and explain the next step to the family.

See [how an eye test at home works](https://seebetter.co.za/blog/eye-test-at-home-mobile-optometrist-gauteng/) for the general process.

## Testing someone with dementia or communication difficulties

A person does not have to answer complicated questions to have their eyes tested. Optometrists can measure a prescription objectively, using a light and lenses, and can use pictures or matching instead of letters. Familiar surroundings and a familiar face nearby make a real difference. Let us know about memory problems, hearing loss or language preference when you book, so that enough time is set aside.

## How to prepare for the visit

- Gather every pair of glasses the person owns, including broken ones.
- Write a list of their medication and health conditions, especially diabetes and high blood pressure.
- Note what you have observed and when it began.
- Choose a time of day when they are usually at their best.
- Have their medical aid card and ID to hand.
- Arrange for someone they trust to be there.
- Find a seat with good light, and switch off the TV.

## Costs and medical aid

See Better's eye test at home is R450. Complete glasses, including the test, a frame and tinted lenses, cost R1199 with single vision lenses, R1699 with bifocals and R2099 with multifocals, and they carry a 1-year warranty. We are registered with most medical aids and charge at medical aid tariffs.

Tip: label each pair of glasses, for example "TV" and "reading", with a small sticker or with different coloured cords. Mixed-up glasses are one of the most common and most easily fixed causes of an older person seeing poorly.

## Arranging a visit in Gauteng

See Better visits homes, retirement villages and care homes across Johannesburg, Pretoria, the East Rand, the West Rand and the Vaal. Send us a WhatsApp with the area and a little about the person, and we will arrange a time. If several residents at one address would like a test, we can see them in one visit.

## Frequently asked questions

### How often should elderly people have an eye test?

Every year from the age of 60, and more often if they have diabetes, glaucoma or macular degeneration, or if their optometrist advises it.

### Can an optometrist come to a retirement home or care home?

Yes. See Better's mobile optometrists visit private homes, retirement villages and care homes throughout Gauteng. Check with the home's management about a suitable room and time.

### Can someone with dementia have an eye test?

Yes. An optometrist can measure the prescription and examine the eyes with little need for the person to answer questions. Testing at home, in familiar surroundings, usually works best.

### Does medical aid pay for a home eye test for a pensioner?

If the plan has an optical benefit, it normally pays for an eye test each benefit cycle, wherever the test takes place. See Better charges at medical aid tariffs. Send us the scheme and plan name and we will explain how it works.

## About See Better

See Better is a mobile optometry practice in Gauteng, South Africa. A qualified, HPCSA-registered optometrist travels to the client's home, workplace, school or event, so there is no practice to visit.

- Areas served: Johannesburg, Pretoria (Tshwane), Ekurhuleni (East Rand), the West Rand and the Vaal.
- Eye test at home: R450 (cash price).
- Eye test + frame + single vision lenses + tint: R1199 (cash price).
- Eye test + frame + bifocal lenses + tint: R1699 (cash price).
- Eye test + frame + multifocal lenses + tint: R2099 (cash price).
- All glasses carry a 1-year warranty.
- We are registered with most medical aids and charge at medical aid tariffs.
- Book on WhatsApp: +27 66 181 8667 (https://wa.me/27661818667)
- Email: info@seebetter.co.za
- Website: https://seebetter.co.za/