What is it?
The minor eye conditions service is a service provided by opticians in Greater Manchester to treat common eye problems to save you from going to your GP. It is for people of all ages from babies to adults. Some of the things they treat include:
- Red eye
- Gritty / dry eyes
- Sticky discharge
- Watery eyes
- Flashes / floaters (recent onset)
- Ingrowing eyelashes
- Sudden loss of vision
- Eye pain
- Foreign object in the eye
- Lumps and bumps around the eye
They cannot treat pre-existing eye conditions such as diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma.
If you think you have a worrying emergency eye problem then you need to attend your local emergency eye department. For more details on what counts as an eye emergency, and for information about Manchester Royal Eye Hospital Eye Casualty please follow this link
What do they do?
They will talk to you about your eye symptoms and examine your eyes using specialist equipment. They can make diagnoses and prescribe certain treatments for eye conditions. They will arrange a follow-up appointment if they want to review your eyes again. They can also refer you onwards to a hospital service if needed, or will refer you back to your GP if they think your eye problem is related to your general health or other conditions.
How can I get an appointment?
You can contact the opticians directly via telephone (the ones in our local area are listed below). They will ask you questions about your symptoms and will decide if it is appropriate for you to be seen by the Minor Eye Conditions Service. They will then either give an urgent or routine appointment, or direct you to other services if appropriate.
Denton
| Eyes Right Opticians | 12 Stockport Road, M43 6AB | 0161-335-9500 |
Hyde
| Artingstall DJ | 3 Calrendon Street, SK14 2EL | 0161-368-7460 |
| Mitchell Opticians | 88 Market Street, SK14 1ES | 0161-368-1183 |
| Specsavers opticians | 29-31 Market Street, SK14 2NA | 0161-338-2561 |
Wouldn’t it be easier just to see my GP?
No. The opticians that provide the Minor Eye Conditions Service have a lot of experience with eye problems and so are able to provide excellent care. GPs in Tameside have been advised to direct patients with appropriate eye symptoms to this service, as this means they can be seen quickly and can be referred elsewhere appropriately if needed. Unfortunately, our GP practices are under a lot of strain with appointments, so this is one of the ways to help them manage that, whilst still providing you with good healthcare.
For more information on the Minor Eye Conditions Service please follow this link