Private Community Services (including pharmacies and opticians)

Optician

Some links on this page have been colour coded to make it easier to find the information you need:

Quick Read
In-depth
Clinical level

LOCAL SUPPORT - SELF REFERRAL

Your local optician treats a large number of conditions

There are many conditions that your optician can treat themselves or refer you directly to your local ophthalmologist (eye hospital doctor). See under the section “common eye conditions” for conditions seen by your optician.

You can find a local optician through the NHS search function
Find an optician Find an optician – NHS 

other support

Other local support from your optician includes:

SQUINT

From the NHS, Patient info and NICE
Squint

REFERRAL DONE BY YOUR HEALTH VISITOR TEAM for a child under 5

Your health visitor can refer any child under 5 to an eye specialist. For linked practices you will also be able to find the telephone number for the district nurse team covering your practice under “contact details and self referral” , see “community teams working with the practice”. Alternatively you can find their contact details in the links under

Referral done by your optician for any age

An optician can refer anyone older if there is a concern about a squint.

Ear wax removal

From the NHS, Patient info and NICE

Ear wax build up

Drops to remove wax from your ears can be effective and these can be bought from your local pharmacist.

Many GP practices do not now remove ear wax, as it is outside NHS commissioned services. Check with your practice if they still do so. Many local opticians now provide a private wax removal service.

Hearing assessment – over 55

Some opticians amongst a number of different local health providers can offer a free hearing test for those over 55, see under

Eye conditions commonly treated by a pharmacist

Some common eye conditions can be treated with self-care or assessed and treated by your pharmacist. A pharmacist can also advise you when occasionally you may need to see an optician or a GP. For an explanation see below.

You can find a local pharmacist through the NHS search function
Find a pharmacy Find a pharmacy – NHS

Eye conditions which should be treated in an eye casualty

There are some eye conditions for which you should always attend an eye casualty. Delaying by seeing another service offers no advantage in these cases and just delays treatment.

If you think you may need to attend an eye casualty then contact 111 who can advise you where you should go locally (particularly because they are not all open 24 hours). There is more information on eye casualties under

Serious eye conditions and symptoms

For information on some of the more common serious eye conditions, symptoms and signs, see below:

EMERGENCIES

Certain conditions will always need assessment in an eye casualty.  This is not an exhaustive list but some of the more serious conditions.

serious EYE INJURies

From the NHS, Patient info and NICE
Eye injuries

SHADOW/CURTAIN ACROSS VISION, INCREASE IN FLASHING LIGHTS/FLOATERS (retinal detachment)

From the NHS
Though in many cases floater and flashes are harmless in certain circumstances you should contact 111 for immediate advice. This is explained further in the article Floaters and flashes in the eyes Floaters and flashes in the eyes – NHS
The condition of particular concern is a retinal detachment and this is explained in more detail below.

From the NHS, Patient info and NICE
Detached retina (retinal detachment)

SUDDEN, PAINFUL RED EYE CAUSING SICKNESS (FEELING UNWELL) AND IMPAIRED VISION (acute angle-closure glaucoma)

As the NHS suggests
“Glaucoma does not usually cause any symptoms to begin with. It tends to develop slowly over many years and affects the edges of your vision (peripheral vision) first.
Very occasionally, glaucoma can develop suddenly and cause serious symptoms.

From the NHS, Patient info and NICE
Acute Angle-closure Glaucoma

MORE GRADUAL PAINFUL RED EYE POSSIBLY WITH BLURRED VISION, A WATERING EYE AND INTOLERANCE OF LIGHT (scleritis)

Scleritis needs treatment in eye casualty.

From Patient info
Episcleritis and Scleritis Episcleritis and Scleritis | Causes and Treatment | Patient

PAINFUL EYE (OR DULL ACHE), POSSIBLE RED EYE, SENSITIVITY TO LIGHT, BLURRED VISION (uveitis)

From the NHS, Patient info and NICE
Uveitis

RED, PAINFUL EYE ASSOCIATED WITH CONTACT LENS WEAR (microbial keratitis)

From Moorfields Eye Hospital
Microbial keratitis Microbial keratitis – Moorfields Eye Hospital

SUDDEN PAINLESS LOSS OF VISION

From Patient info
Visual Problems: Causes of sudden painless visual impairment Visual Problems | Eye Problems, Types, Causes and Treatment | Patient

Less commonly strokes can present with loss of vision. If you think you are having a stroke then call 999 immediately.

From the NHS

AFTER EYE SURGERY

After eye surgery you will be given advice when to attend an eye casualty and this will include

  • A red, painful eye after surgery
  • Rapid loss of vision following corneal graft surgery

UNDER THE CARE OF A CONSULTANT OPTHALMOLOGIST (EYE SPECIALIST)

If you are already under an eye department you will be advised by your consultant in what circumstances you should attend an eye casualty (emergency) department if there is a change in your eye condition.

SERIOUS CAUSES OF RED EYE

The article from the NHS on red eyes provides symptoms and signs which indicate when you should attend an eye casualty. Most red eyes are associated with normally benign conditions such as conjunctivitis but it is worth understanding what symptom or signs are more serious.

From the NHS, Patient info and NICE
Red eye

Uveitis

Support for visual impairment

National support and helpline

From RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) – support for blind and partially sighted people

Local support

For some general information and  local support for visual impairment, see below:

VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

From Buckinghamshire Council
Public Health Bucks include information on sensory services Introduction to Sensory Services (healthandwellbeingbucks.org)

From BucksVision
Our services include

LIBRARY SERVICES

Local libraries provide support for the blind and visually impaired, see under

  •  Council see “library services”

LONG TERM VISION LOSS

From the NHS
Long term vision loss Blindness and vision loss – NHS

From RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People)

From Patient info
Intended for clinicians
Severe and Partial Sight Impairment  Severe and Partial Sight Impairment Information Page | Patient

Common eye conditions

general information

From the NHS
Opticians Optician services – NHS

From Patient info

From Moorfields
Eye conditions Eye conditions | Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

From RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People)
Our Sight Loss Advice Service can give you practical and emotional support to help you face the future with confidence: Sight Loss Advice Service Sight Loss Advice Service – RNIB – See differently

From the Royal College of Ophthalmologists
Includes some patient information booklets and links to charities working in the ocular sector Patient Information Booklets | The Royal College of Ophthalmologists

From NICE
Eyes Eyes | Specialities | CKS | NICE

eyelid problems

From the NHS
Eye lid problems Eyelid problems – NHS

From Patient info
Includes eye lid problems
Eye Problems Eye Problems | Symptoms and Common Problems | Patient

Conditions supported by an optician

Most opticians can now do a direct referral for any significant eye condition either urgently or routinely (depending on the condition) to your local hospital without needing to go through your GP.

Note that your optician has far superior equipment to your GP including equipment which can allow a check for glaucoma and if necessary, they are able to dilate your pupils and also take a photo of the back of your eye.

From the NHS, Patient info and NICE
Age related cataracts

Glaucoma
The focus here is on chronic open-angle glaucoma which is a painless condition picked up by opticians, whereas the far less common acute angle-closure glaucoma which is painful and is dealt with under eye emergencies.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

Short sightedness

Long sightedness

Astigmatism

Conditions seen by a gp and what they might do

Eye twitching
As the NHS suggests
“Twitches are common and very rarely a sign of anything serious. They often go away on their own, but see a GP if a twitch lasts more than 2 weeks. “
Twitching eyes and muscles Twitching eyes and muscles – NHS

Subconjunctival haemorrhage
As Patient info suggest
Subconjunctival haemorrhage “causes a red eye and is caused by a small bleed behind the covering of the eye. It causes no symptoms and is usually harmless” but there are circumstances when you should see your GP as explained in the article from Patient info.
Subconjunctival Haemorrhage Subconjunctival Haemorrhage. Causes of red eye, information | Patient

Shingles involving the eye
If shingles involves the eye, then you will be referred to your local eye casualty
From Patient info

Orbital cellulitis
Orbital cellulitis is an uncommon condition which involves an infection of the soft tissue around the eye. It requires hospital admission for antibiotics.
From Patient info
Intended for clinicians
Orbital and Preseptal Cellulitis Orbital and Preseptal Cellulitis Medical Information | Patient

Videos and podcasts

On the videos and podcasts page there are links to some relevant videos and podcasts covering the topic of eye conditions.

NHS 111

If you think you need medical help right now, 111 online can tell you what to do next.

Campaigns

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Your Pharmacy

Seven common infections now treated by your local pharmacist

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