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Optometry at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
The Optometry department provides an optometric support service for Ophthalmology and other departments within The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
These services include specialist refraction and prescribing of corrective lenses; optometric support for glaucoma and anterior segment clinics; toxic screening; specialised anterior segment measurement including anterior segment OCT, corneal topographic mapping; keratometry and digital slit lamp photography.
Optometric involvement in joint orthoptic and optometry clinics in both community centres and the acute Trust.
Specialist contact lens fitting, assessment and prescribing is undertaken, including scleral, cosmetic, paediatric, therapeutic and kerataconic contact lenses.
Low vision aid assessments and follow up are carried out which include patient counselling and prescribing.
Optical prescriptions issued by Optometrists and Ophthalmologists can be dispensed by our Dispensing section, at St. James's University Hospital, where a wide variety of spectacles are supplied and repaired. This service is also extended to In-patients. Specialised work such as the supply of ptosis props, low vision aids and safety spectacles is also carried out.
The Department of Optometry currently consists of a Head of Optometry, a Principal Optometrist, Specialist Optometrists, Optometrists, a Pre-registration Optometrist, a Dispensing Optician Manager, a Senior Dispensing Optician, an Optical Services Administrator, an Optical Services Officer and an Optical Services Clerical Assistant.
It is currently providing optometry services at:
- The main eye clinic at St. James's University Hospital (Ground Floor, Chancellor Wing)
- St. James's Laser Vision based at St. James's University Hospital (Ground Floor, Chancellor Wing)
- Wharfedale General Hospital.
- The Community Eye Centre St. Georges Centre, Middleton
- Rutland Lodge
Until October 2006 optometry services were also provided at Leeds General Infirmary.
Following the merger of the two Ophthalmology units, including the Optometry service, all these services are now provided at St. James's University hospital. The services at Wharfedale remain unaffected by this change.
The Optometry department is part of the Ophthalmology CMT and works with the Ophthalmology Department which at present consists of fourteen Consultant Ophthalmologists with full supporting medical staff, specialising in anterior segment eye disease, paediatric ophthalmology, vitreo-retinal disease, oculo-plastic surgery, glaucoma, uveitis and neuro-ophthalmology. Ophthalmology and Optometry services are provided primarily at St. James's University Hospital, with additional clinics at Wharfedale General Hospital, Rutland Lodge and St. Georges centre, Middleton. There is a large Orthoptic Department involved with the training of under-graduate orthoptic students. The Ophthalmology Department is very well equipped including facilities for corneal topography, ocular ultrasonography, scanning laser ophthalmoscope, corneal and fundus cameras, digital analysis, Humphrey and Henson field equipment.