Your parent's eyes deserve the same care — wherever they are.
We arrange home eye tests across Greater Manchester, Cheshire and West Yorkshire. You don’t need to be there — but if you’d like to join by video call, we’ll make it happen.
You don't need to be in the room. You just need to make one call
Intro
Getting a home eye test organised for a parent who can’t easily leave the house is one of those things that’s easy to keep meaning to sort. If you don’t live nearby, there’s the added difficulty of arranging something you can’t easily be present for.
Call us. Tell us about your parent’s situation and we handle the rest — the eligibility check, the booking, the visit, the follow-up. You’ll know exactly what happened.
What we do
We send one of our own GOC-registered, DBS-checked optometrists to your parent’s home with a full set of specialist portable equipment. This is a proper 60-minute clinical examination — not a shortened home visit version. It covers vision, prescription, and a thorough assessment of eye health including the retina, optic nerve, and lens.
We check properly for glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetic changes, and anything else that needs attention. If something warrants following up, we tell you clearly and arrange the appropriate next step.
After the visit, with your parent’s permission, we call you and go through everything — the prescription, the clinical findings, what we recommend, and what happens next.
Why we offer this
Many of the patients we visit at home have been coming to us for years. At some point, getting to the practice became more difficult — and we didn’t feel that should mean the end of the relationship or the standard of care they were used to.
We believe in long-lasting relationships with our patients. This service exists because we think the people who’ve trusted us with their eye health deserve that same standard wherever they are — including at home, when life makes that necessary.
You don’t need to be there
Many of the families who book home visits with us are calling from a different city. You do not need to visit the practice. You do not need to be in the room on the day. You can arrange the whole thing by phone, from wherever you are.
If you’d like to be present, we can set up a video call so you’re part of the appointment — able to hear the optometrist, ask questions, and see your parent throughout. Some families find that reassuring. Others are happy to wait for the call afterwards. Either works for us.
What your parent can expect
Our optometrists know how to make a home visit feel relaxed and unhurried. They introduce themselves, take time to settle in, and work at whatever pace suits your parent on the day. If they need five minutes before starting, we take it. If they want to ask questions, we answer them properly. If they need a break, we stop.
We’re experienced in working with patients who have dementia, hearing difficulties, mobility limitations, or anxiety. We adapt. We don’t rush. We don’t make anyone feel like an inconvenience.
Why you can trust us with someone you love
GOC Registered — Every optometrist who visits is registered with the General Optical Council. You can verify any registration at optical.org.
DBS Checked — Every clinician holds a current enhanced DBS check before carrying out any home visit. We don’t send anyone into a patient’s home without it.
Dementia-aware and capacity-trained — Our optometrists are trained in dementia-aware practice and follow the Mental Capacity Act 2005 framework where a patient’s capacity is limited. They know how to involve carers and family members appropriately and handle sensitive situations with care.
Family-owned and independent — Abra & Co is owned and run by the Khan family. The optometrists who visit your parent are the same clinicians who see patients in our practices. This is not a referral to a third-party service.
What it costs
NHS-funded — free if eligible
If your parent cannot leave home unaccompanied due to physical or mental illness or disability, they are very likely eligible for an NHS-funded home eye test at no cost. NHS optical vouchers may also apply towards glasses. We check eligibility when you call — you don’t need to work this out yourself beforehand.
Private — £200, with £100 towards glasses
If your parent doesn’t meet the NHS criteria but a home visit still makes sense, the private appointment is £200. If they choose to order glasses from us, £100 is credited towards the cost.
Because we charge properly for the clinical time, we don’t depend on selling glasses to cover our costs. If your parent’s current glasses are fine, we’ll say so. We recommend what’s genuinely right for them — nothing more.
What happens — from your first call to the fitting
You call us. Tell us about your parent — where they are, why getting to a practice has become difficult, any relevant health or communication considerations. We confirm eligibility and agree a date and time.
We visit. A full 60-minute examination, at their pace. If you’d like to join by video call, let us know when you book.
We call you. With your parent’s permission, we phone you after the visit and go through everything — the prescription, any clinical concerns, and what we recommend.
We come back. If new glasses are ordered, we return to deliver and fit them at home. We don’t post glasses. We adjust them until they’re right and return again if they need tweaking after a week or two of wear.
Areas we cover
Abra & Co — Cheadle · 0161 428 3717 — Cheadle, Gatley, Heaton Mersey, Bramhall, Didsbury, Stockport south
Abra & Co — Middleton · 0161 653 0771 — Middleton, Rochdale, Oldham, north Manchester, Chadderton
Ashworth Opticians — Heald Green · 0161 437 3400 — Heald Green, Altrincham, Wythenshawe, Cheadle Hulme, Sale
Winsford Eyecare — Winsford · 01606 599030 — Winsford, Northwich, Middlewich, Crewe, mid-Cheshire
Armitage Opticians — Heckmondwike · 01924 403617 — Heckmondwike, Dewsbury, Batley, Cleckheaton, Morley, south Leeds corridor
If three or more of these describe you, drops alone won’t solve this. The glands need to be cleared. That’s exactly what we specialise in.
Why Abra & Co
We’re an independent group that treats a home visit with exactly the same standard as a practice appointment — proper time, a real eye-health check, expert styling and beautiful eyewear, delivered with warmth and dignity. The people who most need careful eye care are often those who can least easily get to us, and we think they deserve the best of what we do, not the least.
Your specialists
Co-Founder & Dry Eye Specialist
Sohail has been at the forefront of dry eye treatment since 2017, when he recognised that patients were suffering unnecessarily because the standard advice simply wasn’t working. He’s since trained extensively across Europe and has personally treated over 500 dry eye patients.
Co-Founder & Clinical Director
Arbra designed the diagnostic protocols and training systems behind the EyeClean Programme. She personally trains and mentors every optometrist who delivers dry eye treatment, ensuring the same exacting standard at every practice.
Plus seven trained optometrists across all five locations — every one personally mentored by Arbra, with regular case reviews and clinical audits.
Five clinics across Greater Manchester & West Yorkshire
- Abra & Co — Cheadle
19 Wilmslow Road, SK8 1DW · 0161 428 3717
HD Firefly imaging · Serving Stockport, Wilmslow, Bramhall
- Abra & Co - Middleton
36 Long Street, M24 6UQ · 0161 653 0771
Ocufy diagnostic imaging · Serving North Manchester, Rochdale, Oldham
- Ashworth Opticians - Heald Green
214 Finney Lane, SK8 3QA · 0161 437 3400
Serving Heald Green, Wythenshawe, Gatley
- Winsford Eyecare - Winsford
27 Delamere Street, CW7 2LX · 01606 599030
Serving Winsford, Northwich, Middlewich, Mid-Cheshire
- Armitage Opticians - Heckmondwike
14 Market Street, WF16 0JU · 01924 403617
Serving Dewsbury, Batley, Cleckheaton, Spen Valley
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Call your nearest practice — or the practice nearest to your parent — and we handle everything from there. You don’t need to come in person. Many of the bookings we receive for elderly patients are made by adult children who’ve never visited one of our practices. We take all the details over the phone.
Yes, with your parent’s consent. We ask at the start of the visit whether they’re happy for us to share findings with a named family member. If they agree, we call you afterwards and go through everything in full. If your parent has dementia and their capacity to consent is uncertain, we follow the Mental Capacity Act framework — working with whoever holds a lasting power of attorney, or acting in your parent’s best interests where no formal authority exists.
Not really. It helps if they have their current glasses nearby and if you can share any relevant medical history or medications beforehand — but nothing is essential. We work with what we have. |
Our optometrists are trained in dementia-aware practice. They know how to adapt the examination, work at the patient’s pace, and involve carers and family members appropriately. If you’d like to talk through how a visit would work for your parent specifically, call us before booking. |
Yes. If your parent lives in a care home or nursing home, they very likely qualify for an NHS-funded home eye test. Call us and we’ll confirm eligibility and arrange the visit directly with the care home.
Book a home eye test for a parent
Cheadle: 0161 428 3717 · Middleton: 0161 653 0771 ·
Heald Green: 0161 437 3400 Winsford: 01606 599030
· Heckmondwike: 01924 403617
GOC Registered · College of Optometrists · Association of Optometrists
· BlephEx Certified Abra & Co — Independent, Family-Owned Eye Care Since 2017