SPECSAVERS in Penarth has purchased state-of-the-art optical equipment following a £200,000 refurbishment.

The store in Windsor Road, purchased an Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) machine costing £30,000.

Usually found in hospital departments, this piece of equipment is used for a variety of functions including screening and management of conditions such as age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma.

The OCT machine uses light waves to create three-dimensional scans of the layers in the eye, which can analysed by an optometrist.

The test is complete within a couple of minutes and if it is identified that the individual needs further treatment, the results can be sent onto a hospital-based eye consultant or monitored in the community.

"This investment gives our professional team the ability to enhance the services to the local community by identifying and helping to detect or manage conditions, with a level of diagnostic capability which previously would have needed a hospital visit," says optometrist partner, Frank Moloney.

Mr Moloney added: "The investment in an OCT machine complements the Welsh Government’s goal of providing more primary eye care in the community and reducing the number of people needing to visit the hospital or secondary care for management.

"The practice in Windsor Road provides this primary professional eye care, seven days a week, and there will be no additional charges should the OCT be required or suggested by the optometrist.

"The practice is also a point of delivery for the Wales Eye Care Services programme, which continues to go from strength to strength.

"This longstanding service has been successful in reducing the number of people needing to be sent to hospital by managing eye conditions locally in accessible locations."

To book an eye test at the Penarth store call 029 2071 3900 or visit specsavers.co.uk/stores/penarth