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Cookie Policy
Our website uses cookies. A cookie is a small file of letters and numbers that we put on your computer if you agree. These cookies allow us to distinguish you from other users of our website, which helps us to provide you with a good experience when you browse our website and also allows us to improve our site. The cookies we use are “analytical” cookies. They allow us to recognise and count the number of visitors and to see how visitors move around the site when they are using it. This helps us to improve the way our website works, for example by ensuring that users are finding what they are looking for easily.
The information stored through cookies is anonymous and none of the information stored about your online usage is linked to you as an identifiable individual. We do not link these statistics to any information which you may have provided whilst using the site.
When you visit our site some cookies will not be placed by us but by third parties over which we have no control. These cookies are used to collect information about how visitors use and interact with our site. The cookies collect information in an anonymous form, including the number of visitors of the site, where the visitors have come from, the pages they visit and the duration of their stay on the site. We use this information to improve our site, analyse trends, administer the site, track users’ movements around the site and gather information about our user base as a whole.
Types of cookies
- First and third-party cookies: whether a cookie is ‘first’ or ‘third’ party refers to the domain placing the cookie. First-party cookies are those set by a website that is being visited by the user at the time (e.g. cookies placed by www.opticalcomplaints.co.uk).
- Third-party cookies: are cookies that are set by a domain other than that of the site being visited by the user. If a user visits a website and another entity sets a cookie through that site this would be a third-party cookie.
- Persistent cookies: these cookies remain on a user’s device for the period of time specified in the cookie. They are activated each time that the user visits the website that created that particular cookie.
- Session cookies: these cookies allow website operators to link the actions of a user during a browser session. A browser session starts when a user opens the browser window and finishes when they close the browser window. Session cookies are created temporarily. Once you close the browser, all session cookies are deleted.
What specific cookies do we use?
| Name | Description | Expiration |
|---|---|---|
__utma |
This cookie is typically written to the browser upon the first visit to your site from that web browser. If the cookie has been deleted by the browser operator, and the browser subsequently visits your site, a new __utma cookie is written with a different unique ID. This cookie is used to determine unique visitors to your site and it is updated with each page view. Additionally, this cookie is provided with a unique ID that Google Analytics uses to ensure both the validity and accessibility of the cookie as an extra security measure. |
2 years from set/update. |
__utmb |
This cookie is used to establish and continue a user session with your site. When a user views a page on your site, the Google Analytics code attempts to update this cookie. If it does not find the cookie, a new one is written and a new session is established. Each time a user visits a different page on your site, this cookie is updated to expire in 30 minutes, thus continuing a single session for as long as user activity continues within 30-minute intervals. This cookie expires when a user pauses on a page on your site for longer than 30 minutes. You can modify the default length of a user session with the _setSessionCookieTimeout() method. |
30 minutes from set/update. |
__utmc |
This cookie is no longer used by the ga.js tracking code to determine session status.
Historically, this cookie operated in conjunction with the |
Not set. |
__utmz |
This cookie stores the type of referral used by the visitor to reach your site, whether via a direct method, a referring link, a website search, or a campaign such as an ad or an email link. It is used to calculate search engine traffic, ad campaigns and page navigation within your own site. The cookie is updated with each page view to your site. | 6 months from set/update. |
__utmv |
This cookie is not normally present in a default configuration of the tracking code. The __utmv cookie passes the information provided via the _setVar() method, which you use to create a custom user segment. This string is then passed to the Analytics servers in the GIF request URL via the utmcc parameter. This cookie is only written if you have added the _setVar() method for the tracking code on your website page. |
2 years from set/update. |
__utmx |
This cookie is used by Website Optimizer and only set when the Website Optimizer tracking code is installed and correctly configured for your pages. When the optimizer script executes, this cookie stores the variation this visitor is assigned to for each experiment, so the visitor has a consistent experience on your site. See the Website Optimizer Help Center for more information. | 2 years from set/update. |
guest_id |
This cookie is used by Twitter and serves as your unique identification number associated with Twitter. | 2 years from set/update. |
How to turn cookies off
Internet browsers allow you to change your cookie settings. These settings are usually found in the ‘options’ or ‘preferences’ menu of your internet browser.
How to remove and delete cookies stored by your browser
The following guides can help you delete cookies stored by your browser:
Internet Explorer
Firefox
Safari
Chrome
