CUES SERVICE
The Community Urgent Eyecare Service (CUES) provides urgent assessment, treatment or referral for sudden onset eye problems such as flashes, floaters, vision loss or minor eye injuries. This is a NHS service available to all free of charge as long as you meet the criteria to need an urgent assessment. Our highly skilled Optometrist is accredited to provide this service and will contact you on the same day as you call.
When can this service be used?
This Service is available for any new or worsening eye conditions where there is
- Red/Itchy/Watery or Sticky eye
- Sudden Vision change - distorted/blurred/loss or recent onset of flashes/floaters.
- Lumps/bumps around eyelids.
- Pain or Increased light sensitivity
- Foreign body in the eye.
You can self-refer or be referred / redirected to the service by another health care provider e.g. GP, pharmacist, optician, care navigator, NHS 111, hospital eye service, A&E .
What should I expect when contacting the service?
On contacting the service, the call handler will register your details, check eligibility, and arrange a phone call with the qualified optometrist.
The Optometrist will assess your condition remotely by telephone or video consultation resulting in one of the following outcomes:
- Management of the condition over the telephone, providing you with advice/guidance and/or prescribing medication, where necessary.
- Arrange for you to attend for a Face 2 Face appointment for further assessment / treatment of certain conditions e.g. foreign body removal.
- Make an urgent referral to one of the local Hospitals as your condition requires Urgent care in the Hospital Eye Service.
- Make a non-urgent referral to one of the local Hospitals as your condition requires routine care in the Hospital Eye Service.
- Make a referral to your GP, where the Optician has concerns that you may have a systemic condition.