Commissioned by NHS North West London and delivered by Primary Eyecare Services (PES), the North West London Community Eye Care Service offers fast, local, NHS-funded care for patients aged 18+ with recent-onset minor or urgent eye problems.

Service Components

• Community Eye Service (CES): symptom-based care for conditions like red or sore eyes, flashes/floaters, visual disturbances, and lid lesions
• Pre-cataract referral assessment: to ensure appropriate and timely surgical referrals
• Glaucoma referral filtering: to reduce unnecessary hospital referrals

GPs should

• Use the quick reference flyer to identify which eye conditions are suitable for community management and when to refer elsewhere
• Use the detailed GP information sheet to understand inclusion/exclusion criteria and pathways for CES, pre-cataract and glaucoma filtering services
• Signpost eligible patients to a local accredited optometry practice using the PES practice finder at primaryeyecare.co.uk/find-a-practice
• Ask the patient to telephone a MECS-accredited optometry practice of their choice, for triage and an appointment. MECS is not a walk-in service.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusions

• Patients aged 18+
• Recent-onset minor or urgent eye problems including:
  • red or sore eyes
  • flashes/floaters
  • visual disturbances
  • lid lesions
• Patients requiring pre-cataract referral assessment
• Patients requiring glaucoma referral filtering

Exclusions

• Patients identified with severe eye conditions which require hospital attention eg. penetrating trauma, chemical injuries, temporal arteritis

• Patients with conditions being monitored regularly by HES /another eye care clinician eg. glaucoma, cataract or diabetic retinopathy

• Patients with minor symptoms who may be advised to self- care initially

• Patients requiring a sight test

• Patients with diplopia

• Patients under 18 years of age

How to Refer