Eye Health

The Association of Optometrists (AOP) has produced information leaflets designed to help patients recognise and treat eye conditions. The leaflets form part of the Association of Optometrists patient resources – a suite of more than 10 leaflets and videos on eye health including sight-threatening conditions such as age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma.

Moorfields Eye Hospital also produced patient information leaflets for a wide range of eye conditions.

The College of Optometrists has published a series of new videos which show various eye conditions from the patient's point of view. You can view the videos here.

Community Medical Ophthalmology Service

From 1 October 2018 patients registered at a GP practice in Birmingham and Solihull CCG can access the community medical ophthalmology service, being provided by Health Harmonie from a range of location across the area:

• Birmingham South & West - Lordswood Medical Group, 54 Lordswood Road, Harborne, Birmingham, B17 9DB
• Birmingham East & North - Hawthorn Surgery, 331 Birmingham Road, Sutton Coldfield, B72 1DL
• Solihull & Central Birmingham - Sparkhill Primary Care Centre, 856 Stratford Rd, Sparkhill, Birmingham, B11 4BW
• Solihull - MUMS, 1 Park Ave, Solihull, B91 3EJ.

Minor Eye Conditions Service (MECS)

From 1 October 2018 patients registered at a GP practice in Birmingham and Solihull CCG can access the minor eye conditions service, being provided by Primary Eyecare Heart of West Midlands

• This is an NHS-funded service available for patients with minor eye problems
• The service is for patients registered with Birmingham and Solihull GP practice
• It is for people of all ages – adults and children
• Children under 16 years must be accompanied at their appointment by an adult
• Patients will be referred to the new service by their GP, pharmacist or optician where appropriate
• Patients can self-refer into the service. Find your nearest practice in Birmingham and Solihull and the surrounding areas, which is MECS accredited.

For more information:

• Age related macular degeneration leaflet
• Blepharitis leaflet
• Cataracts leaflet
• Children’s eye health leaflet
• Dry eye leaflet
• Flashes and floaters leaflet
• Glaucoma leaflet
• Meibomian gland dysfunction leaflet 

New System and Assurance Framework for Eye-healthSystem and Assurance Framework for Eye-health(SAFE) – Emergency and Urgent Care 

The Clinical Council for Eye Health Commissioning (CCEHC) has published its Emergency and urgent care framework. 

This new framework complements the Systems and Assurance Framework for Eye-health (SAFE) on cataract, glaucoma and AMD published in April 2018. It aims at promoting the right commissioning at the system level, so that there is consistency, improved levels of communication and greater integration between services. A strategic systems approach by commissioners is necessary for all these areas to ensure patients are managed by the right person in the right place at the right time.

More resources are available in the eye health publication folder.