Roving Eye home page
Simon Small
Mobile Optician

Free NHS eye exam and visit
Local and independent
Test chart
Mobile: 07500 662783
Office: 01722 781218
A full NHS eye exam in your home is FREE if you are unable to attend an optician unaccompanied.

It is so important for a variety of reasons including:
  • Giving you the best possible vision for your needs
  • Reassuring you that your eyes are healthy
  • Making recommendations, for example, lighting in your home
  • Essential screening for diabetes, glaucoma and cataract
I am pleased to provide:
  • Friendly eye care in your home
  • A wide range of competitively priced glasses
  • Delivery, aftercare, and a guarantee
I am an NHS contractor, CRB clear and GOC registered.
Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to call or email.

Simon Small

24 years in Hants, Wilts and Dorset

Simon's blog

20th Jan 2021 5:19pm: Lockdown Update
I am still able to visit you so please don't hesitate to contact me should you feel that there has been a change in your vision, or should you have any other concern about your eyes or glasses you wish to discuss.

26th Jul 2020 10:58am: Routine NHS Eyecare is Back
I can now offer NHS and private home visits again following the lockdown, taking care to make the service as safe as possible for you.

6th Apr 2020 12:35pm: Covid-19 Service Update
I am available for emergency and essential eyecare, repair or replacement glasses, or to help with any questions you may have. Please don't hesitate to call me on 07500 662783

6th Jun 2017 7:20pm: Emergency Appointments
You can usually have a visit from me within a couple days to one week. If you need to be seen sooner please call, I will try to see you as soon as possible.

18th Apr 2017 8:03am: Wide Frame Range from £25
You can choose from over 200 frames which I carry with me, including designer brands, quality complete glasses for £25 with an NHS voucher, or you can have new lenses in your own frame. I deliver them to you, make sure they fit well and provide aftercare at no extra charge.

19th Jan 2017 10:08am: Minor Eye Conditions
We are accredited to deal with minor eye conditions - red eye, flashes, dry eye, visual loss, foreign bodies and corneal conditions.

6th Jun 2016 9:53pm: 24hr Express Service
If you need your glasses in a hurry I can usually manufacture them the next working day. Please call me for details.

7th Jan 2016 7:43pm: 07500 662783 for a rapid reply
The quickest way to contact me is using the mobile number, 07500 662783, I have this phone with me at all times, if I am unable to answer when you call please leave me a message and I will return your call as soon as possible. The office is often unattended while we are out visiting patients but you can leave a message on 01722 781218. I frequently check the emails so please use this method if you prefer.

15th Oct 2015 7:22pm: Read in Bed Comfortably
Anybody recently bedbound will know how potentially uncomfortable reading can be. Our solution is a recumbent prism! It fits over your existing glasses and allows you to read comfortably if you need to be horizontal. Please call or email for details.

11th Aug 2015 8:47pm: Hot Eye Compresses
'Eye Bag' microwaveable hot compresses can provide relief from dry, gritty or sore eyes. We have found them simple to use, durable and good value. We can deliver than when we come to visit you.

29th Apr 2015 6:56pm: Isle of Wight Visits
Home visits are also available on the Isle of Wight regularly and frequently. If you have any inquiries please either contact me, or my colleague on the island, Keith Barber, on 01983 409666.

29th Apr 2015 6:53pm: New Magnifiers
I have recently been recommending an excellent, new, German magnifier. It is lightweight, sits on the page so doesn't need holding, has bright low energy LED illumination, and a superb distortion free field of view. As with all magnifiers I am happy to loan you one so you are sure before committing.

22nd Feb 2015 9:56pm: You Tube
I am often asked how mobile eyecare works - how I carry all the equipment, whether it is portable etc. I am working on a You Tube video to answer all these questions and more. Watch this space!

6th Jan 2015 9:28pm: Unwanted glasses - Thank You!
Thank you to everyone who has donated unwanted glasses. I have just handed over 80 pairs to a charity which supports seriously underprivileged families and children in southern India. The are never wasted. See laci.org.uk

15th Oct 2014 6:07pm: Dorset Home Visits
I now have a Dorset NHS contract so I am looking forward to seeing NHS and private patients in the county with immediate effect. Please call or email to book.

1st Sep 2014 8:17pm: Cooperative Instals Magnifiers
I learned today that 30 Cooperative shops in the south east have been installed with magnifiers to allow shoppers with poor vision to see fine detail on packaging, they are attached to the shelves and yellow so easily spotted. Seems to me like a fine thing to do.

20th Aug 2014 9:38pm: Vision and Alzheimer's Disease
A recent study suggested that dementia patients who had their cataracts removed fared better with their disease post-op than dementia sufferers who had not had their cataracts done. Not surprising, since the quality of detail and colour visible after cataract surgery can be significantly better. The pattern of visual loss as a cataract develops is mostly gradual. These results underline the fact that it is always worth at least considering the possible benefits of this type of procedure for dementia sufferers.

18th Jun 2014 9:10am: Reading Lights
Don't forget that indoors even in daytime it can help to have a good reading light pointing at the page, so many times I visit patients at home struggling to read away from the window and unaware of the benefits of this.

1st Apr 2014 7:59am: Stroke Patients' Vision
A report funded jointly by the Stroke Association and The Thomas Pocklington Trust suggests that although 60% of stroke patients experience some form of visual impairment, over 25% of those do not receive adequate support. The report recommends an early visual assessment and post discharge support for stroke survivors.

13th Mar 2014 8:16pm: Multimillion Pound Grant
The Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Trust has announced that it providing a £7.1m grant to fight preventable blindness. It will be used to address conditions which affect many, for example diabetic retinopathy.

24th Feb 2014 9:33pm: Charity Glasses
Thank you for all the donations of unwanted glasses, I have almost filled the box now and they will soon be sent off to the charity.

23rd Feb 2014 1:28pm: Exercise and AMD
I read today that in mice, exercise equivalent to a brisk walk for a person has been shown to improve retinal health with positive implications for macular degeneration. Further research is planned with regard to other eye disorders and exercise.

12th Feb 2014 8:16am: Science Fiction
I read last week that there have been developments in techniques for printing retinal cells. This is being done in Cambridge. Imagine a surgeon being able to print a retinal cell inside a patient's eye! It just might happen.

4th Feb 2014 7:48am: Good lighting for reading.
Almost every day when I am out visiting patients at home I am reminded of the basic need for good lighting. Daylight is King, ideally sit by a window. Failing that, a simple light a foot or so from the page can make more difference than a large ceiling light.

28th Jan 2014 7:52pm: Free Eyecare Guide
I have plenty of copies of the domiciliary guide, 'Eyecare at Home', free to anyone who wants one.

24th Apr 2013 8:17pm: Charity Cycle Ride for MS
I have entered the London Nightrider, 100km around central London in June, starting at 11pm, on my single speed bike. I'm a bit short of miles this year so far but looking forward to raising some funds for MS.

24th Apr 2013 8:15pm: Eyecare Guide
The new website was ready sooner than I expected. The guide is not ready yet! If you have any eyecare related questions please don't hesitate to ask.

28th Mar 2013 8:55pm: Website
Welcome to my new website courtesy of web designer Dave Howard. I am looking forward to adding articles of interest over the coming weeks. In the meantime should you have any questions please get in touch. Simon

Mobile: 07500 662783   Office: 01722 781218