Optometrists with an Independent Prescribing (IP) Qualification are able to provide emergency eye care where they can assess a patient, establish a diagnosis, determine the clinical management required and prescribe where necessary.
During COVID lockdown, Marc was one of four practitioners chosen to help support the NHS Cardiff & Vale Trust which the practice continues to this day.
You could have an acute eye condition if you have any of the symptoms below.
- Sudden blurred / loss of vision
- Sudden onset flashing lights in your vision
- Sudden onset floaters in your vision
- Sudden onset headache
- Eye pain
- Red eye
- Halos around lights
- Other sudden changes to your eyes / vision that cause concern.
Contact us for advice. We will triage your symptoms and offer you the appropriate care.
This maybe a routine eye examination, or if required, an Eye Health Examination Wales (EHEW) check within a suitable time frame.
If we are not able to offer an examination promptly, we will arrange for an EHEW at another practice nearby.
You can refer yourself for EHEW and also be referred for EHEW by your GP or other health professional such as a practice nurse or pharmacist.
At the EHEW your eyes will be examined and your optometrist will diagnose the problem and decide whether they can treat your symptoms, or if you will need to be referred to an IP-qualified optometrist or to the hospital’s Ophthalmology Department.
Eye Health Examination Wales checks are NHS-funded tests to allow patients requiring advanced services to access them easily and in a timely manner.
Patients eligible for EHEW tests are those experiencing eye problems that have come on in the last week, or patients at risk of sight-threatening conditions due to health issues, family history or genetic background.
The aim of EHEW is to pick up any eye problems quickly and have them treated as soon as possible.
Please see http://www.eyecare.wales.nhs.uk/eye-health-examination-wales for more information.
If you feel you require an EHEW examination, please contact us to speak to one of our colleagues who will be happy to advise you.
Some optometrists (including Marc Drake and Hannah Jones who work here at Osmond Drake Opticians) have done an extra qualification, known as the Independent Prescriber Course, which allows them to prescribe medications for eye problems. This means that we can treat some issues in practice that used to have to be treated in the hospital.
Independent Prescribers (IP) can accept referrals from other opticians, but you must be seen by your usual optician first so that they can diagnose the problem and refer you on to an IP-qualified optometrist.
You could have an acute eye issues may cause symptoms like:
- Sudden blurred / loss of vision
- Sudden onset flashing lights in your vision
- Sudden onset floaters in your vision
- Sudden onset intense headache
- Eye pain
- Red eye
- Halos around lights
- Other sudden changes to your eyes / vision that cause concern.
Contact your usual Optometrist Practice for advice. They will offer you an Eye Health Examination Wales (EHEW) or arrange for an EHEW at another practice nearby.
You can also be referred for EHEW by your GP or other health professional such as practice nurse or pharmacist.
At the EHEW your eyes will be examined and your optometrist will decide if they can treat your symptoms themselves, or if you need to be referred on to either an IP-qualified optometrist or to the hospital.
The IPOS practice on the rota will try to see the patient promptly.
Further information on EHEW can be found at http://www.eyecare.wales.nhs.uk/ehew
This includes a search function to find your nearest practice. http://www.eyecare.wales.nhs.uk/search-for-services-in-your-area
There are currently 19 in The Vale of Glamorgan, 42 in Cardiff, and around 340 in Wales as a whole.
You must be resident in Cardiff & Vale to access IPOS.