Ophthalmology clinic - South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Clinics are held at The James Cook University Hospital, Friarage Hospital, University Hospital of North Tees and East Cleveland Primary Care Hospital in Brotton.

Ophthalmology outpatients department (eye clinic)

The eye clinic at James Cook is located just off the long wide corridor (The Mall), which runs from the north entrance to the south entrance. The facilities are purpose-built and modern.

This department is open Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm. We also hold occasional evening and Saturday clinics. This department is appointment only.

Eileen Truman manages this department.

You can contact the outpatient department on 01642 854059 – Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm.

Children’s eye clinic (paediatric ophthalmology) and orthoptic department

We see and treat children in a separate, child-friendly area off to one side of the eye clinic at James Cook.

Much of the time, children need to see an orthoptist as well as a doctor and we usually combine this in a one-stop visit.

Jerry Tatton manages this department.

We also provide some children’s eye clinic appointments at Low Grange Health Village in Eston.

You can contact the paediatric ophthalmology team on 01642 854059 – Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm.

Eye casualty

This service is located in the eye outpatients department (yellow route).

Patients presenting with an eye emergency are triaged and where possible treated by a team of highly trained nurses, who also staff a fast-track clinic.

Eileen Truman manages this department.

Eye casualty opening times at James Cook

8am to 4pm – Monday to Friday
8am to 12noon – weekends and bank holidays

Patients should only attend with a true eye casualty complaints including acute injury, foreign body or acute loss of vision. Outside of these hours patients should present to A&E.

Ophthalmic imaging

We offer photography for various eye conditions, including fundus fluorescein angiography – a special investigation for the retina – employing a contrast fluid injection. Some photographs and techniques are used to help diagnosis, some are to record the eye condition.

We have recently introduced ophthalmic science practitioner leads scan clinics where the doctor refers a patient who is under treatment for fluid at the back of the eye to have their visual acuity checked by us and a scan at the back of their eyes.

Based on this information the ophthalmic science practitioner will hand the patient over to the doctor if they are concerned that the patient may need treatment but if not the patient will be sent home.

The doctor will look over the information recorded in the notes along with the scan taken and will write to the patient to attend again in four to six weeks for the same appointment again.

Kay Henderson is the senior ophthalmic science practitioner.

Retinal screening

This is a service offered by the ophthalmic department in a community setting. Clinics are held in Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, Hambleton and Richmondshire to serve the population closest to where they live.

Untreated diabetic retinopathy is a significant cause of blindness in the working population of this country, so the team aims to screen every person who has diabetes and then, if necessary, refer them straight through to the ophthalmic department for treatment to avoid sight-threatening complications of diabetes.

Simon White is the manager for this department.