Shared Care and Patient Information

There are four shared care schemes involving optometrists in Stockport:

Screening for Diabetic Retinopathy

Screening for signs of diabetic eye disease is normally carried out by optometrists in this area. The method of screening is being improved by the use of digital cameras to photograph the back of the eye. You can download a newsletter telling you about this here and a leaflet giving the facts about screening here.

The new camera scheme is operating across several areas of south Manchester. A list of the participating optometrists is available here. You can choose to have your eye screening at any of the listed practices.

If your practice is not listed, then you should continue to see your own optometrist for your sight test, but you should visit one of the listed optometrists for screening, telling them that screening is all you require.

Direct Referral for Cataract

All patients with cataract are now referred to Stepping Hill Hospital via accredited optometrists. They will discuss with the patient the procedures involved, and the risks and benefits, before referral.

The current list of optometrists accredited for direct referral is available here:

Post-operative Cataract Care

Under this arrangement the optometrist performs the final check-up after cataract surgery. A list of those participating is provided to patients along with the reporting forms and is also available here:

Children

Young children are screened for poor vision and squints at the local community clinics by orthoptists. If they suspect a problem they can ask an optometrist to examine the child's eyes using some drops which help to determine whether there is any long-sightedness present.

An information sheet on children's vision is available on the publications page.

For optometrists, a copy of the report form used after follow-up examinations is available here:

A list of participating optometrists is available here:

Raised Intra-ocular Pressure

If a raised pressure in the eye is detected during the sight test, and there are no other potential signs of glaucoma, then the pressure test will be repeated, often by a different method, on a further one or two occasions in order to confirm the the pressure is consistently high. Results and any necesary referral are processed via an electronic reporting system. An information sheet is available on the publications page.

An list of Stockport & T+G GP Practices with addresses and phone numbers is available for reference.

More Information

Leaflets on other eye conditions are available from the publications page.

For information on practice standards, see the practice standards page.