Community Eye Service

An NHS eye service based in Pudsey and serving the City of Leeds.  Consultant-led and working closely with Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust, you can request referral from your local Practice, your local optician, or, if you are already under the care of an eye service, request to be transferred.

Serving patients across Leeds city

Robin Lane Community Ophthalmology Service was launched over 10 years ago in October 2008.  Since then, the service has continued to grow and offers a comprehensive community eye service that provides over 6000 patient contacts each year.  

Our service is consultant-led by Mr Bryn Davies, our service Medical Director. Mr Davies also holds a substantive consultant post at Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust, which helps strengthen and promote integrated working. A team of consultant ophthalmologists, associate specialists, nursing staff and technicians work alongside to support and deliver the service.

Our service makes use of Zeiss opticial coherence tomography (OCT) scanning, Humphrey visual field analysis and Haag-Streit slit lamp image capture facilities.  Our technology enables early detection of emerging eye conditions, ongoing management of existing eye conditions, and a wealth of information that supports our clinical decision-making processes.

Our Glaucoma service provides NICE compliant diagnosis, non-surgical management and follow up, and works closely with the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Glaucoma specialist team.

What we can see

The following conditions can be referred to the Robin Lane Community Ophthalmology Service.

A general adult eye clinic for patients aged 17 years and older with the following conditions:

• Ocular hypertension/ glaucoma/ suspect glaucoma
• Watery eyes (epiphora)
• Blepharitis / dry eyes / painful eyes (not responding to primary care management)
• Non acute floaters / flashes of more than two weeks duration *
• Assessment of pigmented iris and retinal lesions
• Retinal and optic disc problems,  excluding emergency conditions
• Dry AMD
• Suspect wet AMD (low concern) **
• Blurred vision (non-neurological)
• Cysts, chalazia and other benign eyelid lesions
• Glaucoma / ocular hypertension
• Other miscellaneous non urgent general ophthalmology conditions

* visual floaters of less than two weeks duration need referral to the St James' acute referral eye cli

** macular haemorrhages and/or oedema suggestive of wet AMD requires urgent referral to the LTHT macular fast track clinic

Investigations and procedures

• Automated field testing
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT)
• Excision and / or cautery of non-sinister eye lid lesions
• Chalazion incision and curettage
• Retropunctal cautery and punctal enlarging procedures
• Epilation of eye lashes
• Lacrimal syringing
• Removal of corneal sutures

In addition, we accept referrals from other providers to take over the long term management of stable patients, where mandated by the commissioner or transferred from LTHT.

What we cannot see
The following conditions are excluded from the eye service and will either be referred onward in an emergency, or returned to the referring clinician / optometrist.

• Services that form part of the essential and enhanced primary care services
• Any procedure of a cosmetic nature
• Children under 17 years
• Ophthalmic emergencies
• Suspected cancer
• Cataracts (as sole reason for referral)
• Squint / double vision *
• Suspected/diagnosed keratoconus
• Posterior capsular thickening post cataract surgery ( needs referral for YAG laser capsulotomy to any local hospital eye unit)

* requires referral to the LTHT ocular motility team

To view the full details of this service, you can download our Eye Pathway by clicking here.