Welcome to Eye Outpatients at Rochdale Infirmary.
Our department hold a wide variety of clinics where the Ophthalmologists & Ophthalmic Practitioners see patients within an outpatient setting.
You can have diagnostic tests, face to face appointment and investigations to make decisions about your care on the day.
Please note that you may need to have your eyes dilated, If required you will not be able to drive after the appointment as your insurance is void, therefore you may need to arrange to be collected.
If possible, please come to the department alone as space is limited. If you have someone driving you, they can wait in the hospital main entrance reception area or at the Aroma cafe.
Ours specialities within Ophthalmology are:
- Glaucoma
- Medical Retinal
- Corneal
- Diabetic Screening
- Paediatric Ophthalmology
- Cataract
- Nurse Led Intravitreal Injections
- Nurse Led Fundus Fluorescein Angiograms
- Viteo Retinal
- Orthoptist
We hold multiple clinics, and the Ophthalmologists & nurse practitioners may need to diagnose and treat you and in order to do this they rely on diagnostic tests which our technicians & nursing teams carry out some of these are:
- OCT – Optical Coherence Tomography A SPECTRALIS® OCT examination provides information about the condition of the retinal layers. The examination can help identify early signs of disease in the retina and on the optic nerve head.
- HVF which is a Humphrey visual field test. The Humphrey visual field test measures the entire area of peripheral vision that can be seen while the eye is focused on a central point. The Humphrey visual field test can also be used to detect conditions within the optic nerve of the eye, and certain neurological conditions as well.
- Anterion ANTERION®
- Optos Image - Getting an optomap image is fast, painless, and comfortable. The image capture takes less than a half-second and they are available immediately for you to see your own retina. You see exactly what your eye care practitioner sees - even in a 3D animation.
For more details on the diagnostics, we perform please see view our patient information leaflet page.
Once you arrive at reception you will be booked in by our wonderful reception team who will check that your details are correct, if you would like to receive your letter communication in a more accessible format such as large print, braille please ask the reception team who will add this to your information.
Please note that you may need to have your eyes dilated, If required you will not be able to drive after the appointment as your insurance is void, therefore you may need to arrange to be collected.
Please do not arrive more than 10 minutes prior to your appointment time.
If possible, please come to the department alone as space is limited. If you have someone driving you, they can wait in the hospital main entrance reception area or at the Aroma Cafe.
Please bring details of any medicines you are currently taking.
Your investigations will start with a visit into one of our vision lanes with one of our team, here you will have a sight test (which is repeated on every appointment) to monitor for changes in your vision. If you wear glasses for distance you will need these for this test.
Following your visions, you may be required to have an eye pressure check this will be carried out in the vision lane with a handheld device and takes about one minute.
Following the vision test, if the Doctor/ Ophthalmology Practitioner requests that you need any further diagnostic testing, these will be carried out prior to seeing them and they will review them online on our Ophthalmology system.
How long will it take?
Appointment times can range from 30 minutes – 2 hours.
Rochdale Infirmary - Level C - Eye Unit
Patients are referred into Ophthalmology either through GPs or Optometrists. The referrals are sent electronically and are triaged by Doctors /Practitioners to the correct speciality.
Once accepted they are added to the waiting list with the time scale according to the urgency of the condition for an appointment.
All appointments are scheduled by the Booking and Scheduling department, for any queries please contact them by calling 0161 778 2233.
Eye Clinic Liaison Officer (ECLO)
Here to offer practical and emotional support to people living with a sight condition and their family and carers. For patients and their families needing support and advice relating to various eye conditions, employment, benefits, rehabilitation, daily living skills and emotional support.
Suzie Bunn
09784 701408
Monday to Friday 9am -5pm
Low Visual Aid
This service is led by an Orthoptist to provide a high level of care to patients who are living with reduced levels of vision as a result of an eye condition. Low vision (visual impairment) is when your sight cannot be corrected with glasses or contact lenses, or by any medical or surgical treatment. The most common cause of low vision is age related macular degeneration.
Magnifiers can be issued to help with reading, distance, television, writing, craft activities and glare following an assessment. Advice and support will be offered as well as signposting to various other agencies to enhance daily living skills and mobility.
Referrals are made through the Ophthalmology clinic by a clinician.
Low Vision Aid Clinic now runs on Mondays and Tuesdays at Rochdale Infirmary.
Contact details 01706 901621 or via email debbie.cooper@nca.nhs.uk