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

Solihull’s Community Medical Ophthalmology Service, operated by The Practice Group, provide a range of GP-referred and optometrist referred services for Solihull GP practice registered patients, including the following conditions for children aged six to 17, plus adults.

There are three clinic locations:

Hasluck Surgery, Haslucks Greeen Road, Shirley
Parkfield Medical Centre, Castle Bromwich
The Village Surgery, Cheswick Green.

The Practice has also produced a range of eye condition patient leaflets and videos.

Birmingham and Solihull CCG is currently procuring a Community Medical Ophthalmology service for the whole of Birmingham and Solihull, and we expect this to be live in all 12 parliamentary constituencies by October 2018.

Solihull Minor Eye Conditions Service (MECS)

The CCG is currently procuring a Minor Eye service for Birmingham to complement the existing Solihull service and we expect this to be live in the 10 Birmingham parliamentary constituencies by October 2018.

Currently for Solihull GP practices

This is an NHS-funded service available for patients with minor eye problems
The service is for patients registered with Solihull GP practices
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 Solihull and the surrounding areas, which is MECS accredited

You can be seen by your local MECS, if you have a recent eye problem such as:

Red eye
Dry eye, gritty and uncomfortable eyes
Irritation and inflammation of the eye
Significant recent sticky discharge from the eye or watery eye
Recently occurring or sudden increase of flashes and floaters
Painful eye
In-growing eyelashes
Recent and sudden reduced vision
Something in your eye.

A&E may be most appropriate for more serious eye conditions or injuries such as:

Sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes
Considerable eye pain
Significant trauma such as penetrating injury or lacerations to the eye or eyelid
Chemical injury or burns
Problems arising from recent eye surgery.

The aim of the MECS service is:

To assist patients and carers with self-care, education and care planning where necessary
To improve the patient experience and offer access to a choice of services using the existing network of optometry practices
To deliver a timely, easily accessible, high quality optometry and ophthalmology service across Solihull
To expand the number of locations where patients can be treated
To streamline the referral and treatment process resulting in a reduction in patient waiting times and improved access
To reduce the number of follow-up outpatient appointments
To improve communication between specialists and the patient’s GP
To reduce the number of unnecessary secondary care referrals for non-urgent eye conditions
To provide value for money for the NHS.

For more information: