An opticians from West Lothian is helping to take the pressure off the NHS by offering emergency and essential eye care service.
In just one day, Specsavers in Linlithgow saw seven emergency cases, including one local who had dangerously high pressure in his eye and another who had a large corneal abrasion – a scratch on the cornea.
All cases were successfully treated at the store which meant the emergencies did not have to been seen by a GP or at hospital, helping the NHS to focus on battling the coronavirus pandemic.
Opticians are classed as key workers to provide urgent and essential eye care to those who need it.
Diana Kelly, store director at Specsavers in Linlithgow, says: “While we are currently not permitted to provide routine eye examinations until further notice, we remain open for urgent and essential care, particularly for key workers.
“As eye care providers to the community, we are still able to support our primary and secondary care colleagues in pharmacy, GP and wider NHS by managing those requiring emergency and essential eye care.
“If you need an urgent consultation because your condition is causing you distress, or preventing you from functioning as you normally would without our help, please call the store in the first instance.
“The exception to this is key workers who are still able to walk in to our stores for immediate advice.”
For essential and emergency eye care assistance, please call Specsavers in Linlithgow on 01506 534 484.
