MINOR EYE CONDITIONS

MINOR EYE CONDITIONS SERVICE

From Wednesday 6th April – Connect Healthcare will be delivering a Minor Eye Service for Rotherham which will be based at Rawmarsh Health Centre, Barbers Avenue, PARKGATE, Rotherham S62 6AE.

Patients are able book directly into this service by telephoning 01709 286701 or can be signposted into the service by their own GP practice, Community Opticians or by Receptionists at their own Practice.

Patients will receive a triage call from the Optometrist who will review symptoms, offer advice and if necessary, arrange for a face to face appointment, where possible on the same day at Rawmarsh Health Centre.

THE CRITERIA FOR PATIENTS TO BE SEEN IN THIS SERVICE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

  • Loss of vision including temporary loss
  • Eye pain
  • Complaints of red eye
  • Foreign body and emergency contact lens removal (not by the fitting practitioner)
  • Dry eye
  • Sticky eyes
  • Excessive tears
  • Problems with eye lashes
  • Lumps and bumps in the vicinity of the eye
  • Recent onset of Double vision
  • Flashes/floaters
  • Patient reported “blind spots”


THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL NOT BE TREATED BY THE SERVICE:

  • Patients identified in advance to have severe eye conditions which need hospital attention e.g. orbital cellulitis, temporal arteritis
  • Eye problems related to herpes zoster(Shingles)
  • Adult squints, long standing double vision
  • Removal of suture
  • Patient’s reported symptoms indicate that a sight test is more appropriate than this service
  • Repeat field tests to aid diagnosis following an eye examination
  • Suspected cancers of the eye
  • Age related macular degeneration

Please note that this service is only eligible for children 5 years of age or older and children under 16 years of age should be accompanied by a responsible adult.

It is recognised that as patients are self-referring it is possible that they may attend the service with a condition which is excluded for treatment, but requires assessment and onward referral to an appropriate eye service, which will be undertaken by the Optometrist.

We will, within reason, be able to offer an acute MECS examination within 24 hours of the day for urgent needs and within 5 working days for non-urgent needs.