Your Local Optician
If you have an eye problem, you can make an emergency appointment with an Optician (also known as an Optometrist). These appointments are provided free by the NHS and will ensure you receive the correct specialist care as soon as possible.
How can an Optician help?
Opticians (Optometrists) have the same specialist equipment as specialist eye Doctors (Hospital Ophthalmologists) and may be able to treat and manage your eye problem without a need for you to go anywhere else.
They can also refer you to a Hospital Eye Clinic if necessary or you can self refer to the Minor Eye Condition Service as below – this is a free serviceprovided by the NHS at dedicated sites.
To make an emergency appointment, telephone your Optician/Optometrist or call 111 to speak to an Adviser when your local Optician is not available out of hours.
How often should I have an eye test?
Our eyes rarely hurt when something is wrong with them, so having regular eye tests is important to help detect potentially harmful conditions.
The NHS recommends that you should get your eyes tested every two years (more often if advised by your Ophthalmic Practitioner or Optometrist).
An NHS sight (eye) test is free of charge if you are in one of the eligible groups and your sight test is considered clinically necessary. If the Ophthalmic Practitioner can’t see a clinical need then you’ll have to pay for the test privately.
For more information, read about free NHS sight tests and optical vouchers.
Minor Eye Condition Service
What is a Minor Eye Conditions Service (MECS)?
The MEC service treats conditions which do not necessarily need specialist hospital examinations, in convenient locations for the patient, and is carried out by specially trained Optometrists. You may contact the participating Optometry Practice of your choice and they will offer you their earliest MEC appointment, which will be within a week of you contacting them or they will direct you to another participating Practice. You can find further details of this service here and you do not need a GP referral to use this service; PE-MEP-A5-Leaflet-Web.pdf (primaryeyecare.co.uk)
Conditions that can be seen under within the service include:
• Acute* Red Eyes
• Acute* Irritated or Inflamed Eyes
• Sticky Discharge or Acute* Watery Eyes
• In-growing Eyelashes
• Foreign bodies in the Eye – urgent conditions will be redirected to A&E if treatment is required in under 24 hours
• Recently occurring flashes or floaters.
PETERBOROUGH MEC PRACTICES as at 25/11/2020
Sask Optics Ltd: 293, Lincoln Road, Peterborough PE1 2PH, 01733 563845
Scrivens Westgate: Peterborough PE1 1RA, 01733 342464
Specsavers: 16, The Serpentine, Peterborough, Cambs PE7 8BE, 01733 311695
Specsavers Peterborough 53, Bridge Street, Peterborough, Cambs PE1 1HA, 01733 348822