RESIDENTS in Newtown will now have access to hospital-grade eye health technology after a new £45,000 investment by Specsavers.

The team at the Broad Street store have bought an OCT (optical coherence tomography) machine, which can help detect preventable, sight-threatening conditions up to four years earlier than a standard eye test.

The scan works by taking more than 1,000 images of the back of the eye, including the retina and optic nerve. A layered image is then created to allow the optometrist to view the deeper structures of the eye in more detail than ever before.

Conditions that can be picked up from using the OCT technology include diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, glaucoma and, in some cases, more serious health issues, such as a brain tumour.

David Dunlop, director at Specsavers Newtown, said: “We are delighted to bring OCT technology to the people of Newtown; it means we are now able to detect serious eye conditions much quicker than with a standard eye test.

“In Powys alone, there are an estimated 6,570 people living with sight loss – that’s 4.9 per cent of the population living with sight loss, compared to 4.6 per cent nationally – which highlights the importance of Powys residents getting their eyes checked regularly, so we can help prevent these problems.”

The OCT machine uses the same technology as NASA on its International Space Station to measure the effect of space travel on the eye.

Mr Dunlop added: “This investment highlights the high standards of customer care we provide – especially during the current pandemic – and we hope it will encourage local residents to come into store and get their eyes checked.”

Newtown residents can ask for an OCT test when booking their routine eye test, either online at https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/newtown or by phoning the store on 01686 610600.