Optometry Department

Head: Elaine Salina

Deputy: Bernie Hegarty

The main services are provided at Gartnavel, with satellite clinics at the New Victoria Hospital, QEUH, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Stobhill and the New Children’s’ Hospital.

Services provided:

• refraction, visual fields, colour vision, corneal topography, day phasing, corneal microscopy, DVLA driving fields, bandage contact lenses, joint paediatric clinics, low vision, medical contact lenses, keratoconus monitoring
• all patients are seen by appointment and written referrals are required for low vision, keratoconus monitoring and Medical Contact Lens appointments from the patients GP, optometrist, social services or other ophthalmic practitioner
• extra visual field and refraction requests may be seen by request for urgent diagnostic purposes, if time allows. This needs to be arranged with a senior optometris

Optometrists are also involved in pre post-op cataract, glaucoma, corneal and medical retinal clinics as part of the medical team.

Low Vision Clinic:

We can supply magnifiers and other devices to help make the most of the sight of people with visual impairment. The waiting time for an appointment is up to 12 weeks.

Please be aware that low vision aids can be very difficult to use if the magnification is moderate to high, and they require very close reading distances and a lot of perseverance in use.

If patients are unable to read N48 with spectacles it is unlikely that magnifiers will allow more than a word or two of very large print.

Aids are issued free on a “permanent loan” basis – unfortunately electronic aids are not available via the NHS. We also liaise with our colleagues at Visibility, the patient support service to help patients with visual difficulties.

Clinic phone number: 0141 211 1034

Contact Lens Clinic:

Referrals are only accepted for patients where contact lenses can provide better vision than glasses - such as for corneal conditions, occlusive lenses for double vision, post surgical, extremely high prescriptions, or to improve the appearance of unsightly eyes.

We also have a paediatric service to fit babies born with congenital cataract. The waiting time for an assessment is about ten weeks.

There can be a statutory charge for lenses unless patients are under 16, aged 16 - 18 in full time education, or in receipt of benefits.

Clinic phone number: 0141 211 1043

Early Keratoconus Monitoring:

We assess and monitor patients with keratoconus to establish if their condition is progressive, and can arrange collagen cross linking if required.

Clinic phone number: 0141 211 1043