Ophthalmology (eyes and vision)

About eye examinations

Systemic disease often affects the eye, and an eye examination can give information about a patient's health.

The eye department is not able to carry out screening examinations and for routine refractive errors (the need to wear glasses to clarify sight). We recommend you visit a community optometrist (optician). Optometrists play an important role in the detection of diseases such as glaucoma - for more information see the International Glaucoma Association website - and macular degeneration - for more information go to the Macular Society website.

It is particularly important that diabetics receive regular eye examinations to prevent potentially sight threatening problems. All diabetic patients are invited to attend for photographic examination of their retinas (the back of the eye). See Diabetic eye screening.

For information on what ophthalmologists do visit the Royal College of Ophthalmologists website.

Cataract surgery

One of the commonest surgical procedures carried out worldwide is cataract surgery. The department in NHS Highland carry out over 1500 such operations per year.

Modern cataract surgery is a very successful operation with a low complication rate. In view of this, follow up appointments following surgery may be carried out by a community optometrist.

Low visual aids

If a person's sight cannot be restored to “normal” with spectacles or contact lenses and this affects their day-to-day lives, they are said to have low vision.

Low vision services are provided by an optometrist within ophthalmology. The hospital optometrists work with local agencies (Visual Impairment Services Highland, Highland Education Visual Support Service and social work services) to provide a service which offers:

• essential information, especially when a sight problem is diagnosed
• a check on the appropriateness of a person's current prescription for spectacles or contact lenses and an assessment of their remaining vision
• an assessment for a low vision aid and non-optical aids to assist daily living
• advice on changes to the home environment, such as better lighting
• follow-up services and on-going training and support (IT software and mobility training)
• referral to other specialists if necessary

Contact lens clinic

The contact lens service is provided by an optometrist within the ophthalmology department. The service provides contact lenses when there is a medical need, usually when vision cannot be improved with spectacles but can be improved with contact lenses.

People who are likely to benefit from this service are:

• people with irregular corneas or scarring, for example – keratoconus, corneal trauma, corneal graft surgery, or after corneal infections
• people with complex spectacle prescriptions – those who are highly short or longsighted (eg +/- 15.00), or have a large difference in prescription between their two eyes
• people who need lenses for therapeutic reasons, for example pain relief
• people who require cosmetic lenses – if the eye has been unsightly following damage from, for example, infection or trauma

Orthoptic department

There are outpatient clinics at:

• Raigmore Hospital
• Lawson Memorial Hospital, Golspie
• Belford Hospital, Fort William
• Portree Community Hospital, Skye
• Caithness General Hospital, Wick

In addition, the eye department of NHS Highland also provides services to the Western Isles and Orkney Health Boards.

Medical and nursing staff

The education of junior and nursing staff is an important part of the work of the department and. during your attendance, you may be treated by a staff member undergoing training.

Our nursing staff are trained to a very high level, and increasingly some visits to the department will involve management by a senior nurse working independently.