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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 and specialist measurement of vision and visual acuity.
Optometric support for glaucoma, anterior segment and acute referral clinics; toxic screening; specialised anterior segment measurement including 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 "clinically necessary" contact lens fitting, assessment and prescribing is undertaken, including scleral, cosmetic, paediatric, therapeutic and kerataconic contact lenses.
Adult and paediatric low vision aid (LVA) assessments and follow up are carried out which include patient counselling and prescribing.
Optometric support for St. James's Laser Vision.
Optometric support for research.
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 Consultant Optometrist (Head of Optometry Services), a Principal Optometrist (Deputy Head of Optometry Services), Specialist Optometrists, Optometrists, a Pre-registration Optometrist, a Dispensing Optician Manager, an Optical Services Administrator 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)
- Orthoptic and Children's eye clinic at St. James's University Hospital (St. James's Childrens Outpatients)
- W Ward eye clinic at Seacroft Hospital
- 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 and since 2011 from Seacroft Hospital. The services at Wharfedale remain unaffected by this change.
The Optometry department is part of the Ophthalmology Clinical Management Team (CMT) and works with the Ophthalmology Department which at present consists of fifteen 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 Seacroft Hospital, Wharfedale General Hospital, Rutland Lodge and St. Georges centre, Middleton. There is a large Orthoptic Department, based at the Orthoptic and Children's eye clinic at St. James's University Hospital (St. James's Children's Outpatients) involved with the training of under-graduate orthoptic students. The Ophthalmology Department is very well equipped including facilities for anterior and posterior OCT; corneal topography, ocular ultrasonography, scanning laser ophthalmoscope, corneal and fundus cameras, digital analysis, Humphrey and Henson field equipment.