Eyes: Minor Eye Conditions Service

Our local Opticians are now offereing a service under the NHS for assessment, treatment and referral to secondary care for patients with eye conditions where no red flag exists.

RED FLAG SYMPTOMS ARE:

Sudden loss of vision
Moderate to severe pain
Headache
Photophobia or aversion to light in those not known to have Migraines
Conjunctivitis in an infant in the first 28 days of life
A high-velocity injury (for example injuries occurring while hammering or chiselling), or injuries involving glass.
Foreign body or penetrating lesion

If any of these symptoms are present and new, please call the surgery.

Any presence of FAST symptoms – here is a handy way to remember these from the Stroke Association UK:

In that event, call 999 immediately

The eye service is very comprehensive. You will be seen urgently by one of our Opticians and this is free. They will speak to you the same day to decide urgency of the issue. They are specialists in their own right and are much better at dealing with eye complaints than we are. They have specialised machinery to help diagnose your issue quickly and accurately and get you the help you need without delay.

They will see you for any of the following issues:

Flashes/floaters
Lumps and bumps in the vicinity of the eye
Loss of vision including transient loss where a red flag cause is not present
Eye pain
Red eye
Foreign body and emergency contact lens removal
Dry eye
Blepharitis (sore eyelids that are discharging)
Excessive tearing caused by excessive tear production or secondary to poor drainage
Eyelashes that are misdirected against the eye surface