Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology is the word used to describe the diagnosis and treatment of all eye problems including injury and medical disorders.
Ophthalmology clinics
Clinics are held at The James Cook University Hospital, Friarage Hospital, University Hospital of North Tees and East Cleveland Primary Care Hospital in Brotton.
Ophthalmology outpatients department (eye clinic)
The eye clinic at James Cook is located just off the long wide corridor (The Mall), which runs from the north entrance to the south entrance. The facilities are purpose-built and modern and all the services listed above are delivered in this area.
This department is open Monday to Friday 8am until 5pm and occasional evening and Saturday clinics.
This department is appointment only.
Children and young people’s eye clinic (paediatric ophthalmology) and orthoptic department
We see and treat children in a separate, child-friendly area off to one side of the eye clinic at James Cook. Much of the time, children need to see an orthoptist as well as a doctor and we usually combine this in a one-stop visit.
Eye casualty department
This service is located in James Cook’s main accident and emergency department. Patients presenting with an eye emergency are triaged and where possible treated by a team of highly trained nurses, who also staff a fast track clinic.
Please access this service between 8am and 7.45pm.
Fast track (rapid access) eye clinic
This service is for urgent eye problems which need treatment in a few days. GP, optometrists or accident and emergency staff can refer into this clinic by phone or fax. The service is staffed by nurses from eye casualty and a doctor.
Ophthalmic imaging
We offer photography for various eye conditions, including fluorescein fundus angiography – a special investigation for the retina – employing a contrast fluid injection. Some photographs and techniques are used to help diagnosis, some are to record the eye condition.
We have recently introduced Ophthalmic Science Practitioner Leads Scan clinics were the doctor refers a patient who is under treatment for fluid at the back of the eye to have their visual acuity checked by us and a scan at the back of their eyes.
Based on this information the Ophthalmic Science Practitioner will hand the patient over to the doctor if they are concerned that the patient may need treatment but if not the patient will be sent home, the doctor will look over the information recorded in the notes along with the Scan taken and will write to the patient to attend again in four to six weeks for the same appointment again.
Retinal screening
This is a service offered by the ophthalmic department in a community setting. Clinics are held in Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, Hambleton and Richmondshire to serve the population closest to where they live.
Untreated diabetic retinopathy is a significant cause of blindness in the working population of this country, so the team aims to screen every person who has diabetes and then, if necessary, refer them straight through to the ophthalmic department for treatment to avoid sightthreatening complications of diabetes.
Eye day unit with operating theatres
The ophthalmology operating theatres can be found in the eye day unit, immediately behind the eye clinic at James Cook. We do virtually all eye surgery as day cases (general anaesthetics as well as local anaesthetics).
Eileen Truman is the manager of this department.
Opening hours
- 8am to 8pm Monday to Thursday
- 8am to 6pm on Fridays
Examples of eye operations
- Cataract surgery
- Glaucoma surgery
- Corneal graft
- Enucleation
- vitro-retinal surgery
- Oculo-plastics
- Laser treatment
- Lucentis
We also do methylprednisolone infusions, post-operative checks, and pre-assessment clinics.
We run a very efficient ophthalmic unit with trained ophthalmic nurses.