There is an NHS HC1 form that you can fill out (from a pharmacy or doctor) to see if you qualify for any help with NHS costs as a student, but when I was at uni, I didn't qualify for any free eye tests - I filled out the HC1 form, but they said I barely qualified for anything... I couldn't get free prescriptions and I was responsible for paying the first £30 of eye test costs... and since the test was only about £15, it didn't help much at all
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However, you can still get reduced cost eye tests using vouchers and offers from the different opticians.
For example:
- At the moment, if you spend £5 at Boots, you get a voucher for a £10 eye test (and a £5 No7 voucher too).
- Dolland and Aitchison are offering a half-price eye test (half price = £13.75) and 10% off glasses when you print their online voucher
- Vision Express are offering a free test if you spend £99 on glasses
- Specsavers are offering 25% off glasses for students (but not tests)