Eye care centres open for special treatment

Specialised eye treatment centres have been set up in Airdrie and Coatbridge to ensure patients can receive emergency assistance.

The two Monklands facilities are among 12 established by NHS Lanarkshire across the county to assist patients while all routine eye care – other than emergency dispensing of glasses – remains suspended.

Most attendances will be through a referral from a GP, pharmacist or a patient’s own optometrist, although people can also self-present to the centres, which are run with social distancing at the forefront.

Coatbridge optometrist Frank Munro, who is NHS Lanarkshire’s optometric advisor, said:“All optometrists in practices will be available to take phone queries and may be able to treat you depending on how well you describe your symptoms.

“You can also send the optometrist digital images of your eyes to help them to make a diagnosis.

“If the optometrist thinks you need a face-to-face consultation, you will attend one of the emergency treatment centres – prior to attending, you may receive a phone call to ask for your history and symptoms.”

He added:“The centres are designed with social distancing in mind, with only one patient allowed in at each time – when you arrive, the door will be opened for you.”

NHS Lanarkshire’s director of dentistry is similarly reassuring patients they will receive urgent help if required, saying:“The NHS is still open”.

Routine dental care is also postponed, but Anne Moore says “services are being delivered in a different way”and that patients should contact their usual practice for advice.

Details of all dental practices are available at www.nhsinform.scot/

She said:“All dentists are still able to give advice and issue antibiotics and painkillers and, if necessary, refer on for treatment in a dental care centre.

“If you have a dental problem, you should call your dentist who will then give advice over the phone, and arrangements will be made if you need to be seen. If you have a dental problem out of hours when practices are closed, you can contact NHS 24 by calling 111.”

She added:“If you or your family have symptoms of COVID-19, you should advise the dentist when you call them and arrangements will be made if you need urgent care.”

All optometrists in practices will be available to take phone queries and may be able to treat you depending on how you describe symptoms