Don’t ignore your eye tests during the pandemic – they can help spot general health problems.

That’s the message from local opticians who are reassuring clients they are open and safe.

The call to people not to ignore changes in their vision during lockdown has come from a Halesowen optician, but is repeated by opticians generally across the area.

Scrivens Opticians & Hearing Care in the Cornbow Shopping Centre stress people can still have their eye tests and that opticians remain open as essential healthcare providers with Covid-secure measures in place.

Optometrist Sheena Mangat said: “We want to reassure people that lockdown restrictions allow people to access our services in a safe environment. It’s advisable to keep appointments for eye tests and for people to seek help if they notice something is not quite right.

“The eyes are a window to our general health and an eye test can detect so much more than changes in our vision. Taking care of our health is more important than ever in these challenging times.”

These are their top five signs to look out for that show your eyes may need looking at

• Blurred vision - whether you are struggling to see things in the distance or close up

• Frequent headaches may be caused by increased eye strain or a sign that you may need glasses or a prescription change

• Eye Fatigue – staring at the computer for long periods can cause eye fatigue and may indicate that your eyesight has got worse

• Dry eyes or itchy eyes can indicate a variety of eye conditions

• Floaters and flashes are fairly common, but it’s worth getting checked to confirm that it's not something more serious

For more information visit scrivens.com