Red eyes, flashes, floaters, sudden changes: seen today, free
Urgent eye care
A red or painful eye, a sudden shower of floaters or flashes, a shadow in your vision, a sudden blur, something in the eye: ring and you are seen the same day under the Wales Eye Care Service, free, without going to your GP or A&E first. If it needs the hospital we refer directly and ring ahead.
In Wales, an optometrist is the right first call for an eye problem, not the GP and not A&E. We are accredited for the Wales Eye Care Service, which means a sudden eye problem is seen here the same day, properly, with the equipment, and free. It is the part of the job we are most glad to do.
Ring first, say what has happened, and Val will fit you in that day, usually within two hours. We examine the eye at the slit lamp, check the pressures, look at the retina and take an OCT scan if the symptoms point to the back of the eye. Most things turn out to be treatable here: conjunctivitis, a corneal abrasion, dry eye, a blocked gland, a posterior vitreous detachment that needs watching but not treating. We can prescribe some medicines and we tell you exactly what to look out for.
Flashes and floaters with a shadow, a sudden loss of vision, a painful red eye with a cloudy cornea, or an injury that has gone through the surface need the hospital, and we refer directly to the eye unit at the University Hospital of Wales and ring ahead so they are expecting you. Out of hours, go to A&E at the Heath. Do not wait for us to open on Monday; retinas do not.
What is included
- Seen the same day, usually within two hours
- Free under the Wales Eye Care Service
- Slit lamp, pressures, retina and OCT as needed
- Treatment here for most things, some medicines prescribed
- Direct referral to the eye unit with a phone call ahead
- Clear advice on what to watch for afterwards
What it costs
Free under the Wales Eye Care Service for anyone registered with a Welsh GP. Ring 01632 960 227 before coming; out of hours, Accident and Emergency at the Heath. Prices include VAT where it applies. The prices page has every price, the NHS voucher table, and a contact lens plan builder.
Questions about urgent care
Do I need to see my GP first?
No. In Wales you come straight to an accredited optometrist for an eye problem; that is what the Wales Eye Care Service is for. Ring us before you come so we can fit you in and tell you what to bring.
What counts as urgent?
Anything sudden: a red or painful eye, a new shower of floaters or flashes, a curtain or shadow across the vision, a sudden blur in one eye, double vision, or an injury. If you are not sure, ring; we would rather see a false alarm than miss a retinal tear.
Book an eye examination.
Forty minutes with the optometrist, the OCT scan included, £35 or free on the NHS if you qualify. Tell us the days that suit and Val confirms a time within the working day. Sudden eye problem? Ring, and you are seen today.