Eye Service | For patients | Visiting us for appointments
Visiting us for appointments
We look forward to meeting you – and have put together this information in preparation for your appointment. Our dedicated professionals are passionate about caring for you. You’ll get the best care we can give.
Patients tell us that coming to hospital can be daunting, so we have compiled some useful information - from how to get here and what to expect when you arrive.
Click on the link below to download a copy of the information sheet you will receive with your appointment letter.
Download Appointment letter - note, large download.
If you do not speak English
We have our own multi-lingual health advocacy service for patients who do not understand and speak English. This service is free and provides information, support and advice. For more details about our interpreters please click here.
Please note that if you choose to bring a family member to translate they must be aged 16 years or older.
What to bring with you
· Your appointment letter or appointment card
That’s the letter or card sent to you. It contains detailed information, including the date of your appointment and where to go when you arrive.
· Information about you
The hospital staff will already have details about your condition, but they will need the following information about you - your personal details, including your address, full postcode and date of birth. Also required are your home address if this is different from where you are currently living and your GP’s address and telephone number.
· Medicines and allergy treatments
We’ll need to see information about any medicines you’re currently taking, including those for any allergies. We’ll need to know the names of the medication, what you’re taking it for and how often you take it. Include everything – tablets, injections, liquids, creams, inhalers and eye drops. Please don’t forget to include any products bought from a pharmacy, supermarket or the internet, including homeopathic or herbal remedies. We need to compile a complete record of all the medicines you’re taking, so that we can best plan any treatment you may need.
· Your glasses
It is important that we know the strength of your glasses – this helps us diagnosing many eye problems. We will also need to know what your best possible vision is, and this can only be obtained with your glasses.
· Questions you may have
Think about any questions you’d like to ask your doctor – for example, ‘what treatment options do I have?’ ‘What will the treatment or procedure involve?’ ‘How will I feel after my treatment?’ ‘When will I be able to resume normal activities?’. You may find it helpful to write your questions down and bring the list with you to your appointment
On arrival at hospital
Please report to the receptionist desk when you arrive at the clinic. The receptionist will need you to confirm your name and address (including the full postcode), your ethnic origin and GP’s contact details. It’s also standard procedure to ask for the name and contact telephone number of a close relative or friend. Staff will already have some details about your condition. The receptionist will tell you what you need to do next.
What will happen at your appointment
A nurse will check your vision and will conduct any other preliminary tests that may be required. Eye drops may be used to dilate (temporarily enlarge) your pupils – these drops are necessary for the doctor to examine the structures inside your eye. Dilation of the pupil causes blurred vision and sensitivity to bright lights, and for this reason you should not drive to your appointment.
Dilating drops can take up to 45 minutes to enlarge the pupil, and following this you will be seen by a member of the Eye Service team. Please click here to download a copy of the information sheet about the eye drops that are used to dilate your pupils.
We advise that you allow at least two hours when attending appointments at the Eye Service. Occasionally extra tests are required and this will add extra time to your visit.
For more information about your appointment please click here.
After your appointment
For information about what will happen after your appointment please click here.
Cancelling your appointment
Please click here for information about cancelling appointments.
Laser facilities
We have modern laser facilities at both The Royal London Hospital and St Bartholomew’s Hospital. Laser is used for treating both routine and emergency eye conditions. For information on how laser is used to treat eye conditions please click here.
Your consultant will discuss with you the most appropriate type of laser to treat your eye condition and will request to arrange an appointment for you. They will also be able to provide information on which hospital and the location your laser treatment will be conducted at.
Eye surgery
If you are having eye surgery your operation will be done in the Radcliffe eye theatre, located on the 1st floor, Queen Elizabeth II Wing at St Bartholomew’s Hospital. Most surgical procedures conducted by the team are carried out as day surgery, which means that you can go home on the day of your surgery rather than having unnecessary stays in hospital. A small portion of eye operations will require you to stay as an inpatient. When your operation is planned a member of our eye team will advise you if your procedure is day case or requires you to be admitted as an inpatient.
Last year over 700 operations were performed in the radcliffe eye theatre and ward.
