Download Minor Eye Conditions

Service in the Spotlight: Minor Eye Conditions
Scheme (MECS)
What is MECS?
MECS allows patients registered at practices in Southwark, Lewisham and Lambeth to access
NHS treatment for a range of eye conditions. Instead of having to visit a hospital for treatment,
patients can now be seen by a highly trained optometrist based in a local optician’s practice.
Appointments are often available within two days, and many of the practices offer appointments
at weekends.
Genevieve Larkin, Consultant Ophthalmologist at King’s College Hospital NHS
Foundation Trust (KCH):
“MECS has added real value - it has allowed patients with minor eye conditions to be seen
quickly and closer to home by experienced optometrists. As part of the team that provides
mentoring and referral feedback to the optometrists, I am regularly assured that MECS is
providing a high quality service. I often hear positive feedback about the service from patients
and healthcare professionals and so it would be great to see more patients use the service”
Conditions that can be seen by MECS:
Anybody registered at practices in Southwark, Lewisham and Lambeth can be seen by an
optometrist for the following conditions:








Loss of vision
 Ocular pain
Systemic disease affecting the eye
 Differential diagnosis of red eye
Recent onset of diplopia
 Dry eye
Epiphora (watery eye)
 Trichiasis (in growing eyelashes)
Flashes/floaters
 Retinal lesions
Field defects
 Glaucoma repeat measurement
Referral refinement for patients with cataracts
 Differential diagnosis of lumps and bumps in
or suspected glaucoma
the vicinity of the eye
Foreign body and emergency contact lens
removal
How to refer:
GPs do not need to refer patients to MECS. Patients are able to self-refer to
the service and should contact their preferred optometrist (from the list below)
for an appointment. Patient information is available on DXS (search: MECS
Patient leaflet) and all practices should have received new patient leaflets. If
you haven’t received new patient leaflets, please contact Lucy Butterworth.
Where can patients be seen?
Below is a list of participating optometrists in Southwark. Patients can also be seen by
optometrists in Lambeth and Lewisham. For an up to date list of participating optometrists
please visit: www.lslloc.org then click on Minor Eye Conditions Service for an interactive map.
Further information:
Please visit www.lslloc.org for more information.
If you have any questions please contact:
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 020 8663 9014