Ophthalmology (eye service)

Our ophthalmology team looks after your eye care, including both general and specialist care.

Division: Surgery
General manager: Raheela Ajmal Ali
Location:

• Central Eye Service, Area 6, First floor, ACAD centre, Central Middlesex Hospital, 020 8963 8992
• Willesden Eyecare Centre, c/o Willesden Centre for Health and Care, 020 8438 7156, lnwh-tr.eyecarecentrewillesden@nhs.net

Our ophthalmology team looks after your eye care, including both general and specialist care. We treat diseases of the eye, such as glaucoma, and also carry out minor operations, laser treatment and eye injection treatments. Each year we treat more than 23,000 people for eye-related health issues.

If you feel discomfort or think something is not right with your eyes or sight you should first go to your local pharmacist, optician or GP.

Our service treats a number of eye-related health conditions, including:

• cataracts
• glaucoma
• diabetic retinopathy
• age related macular degeneration (AMD)
• retinal vein occlusion
• retinal detachment
• sickle cell retinopathy
• squint
• eyelid malposition
• eyelid tumours
• tear drainage system
• corneal conditions

Our Central Eye service is based at Central Middlesex Hospital. We run a number of outpatient clinics and have a dedicated macular service on the ground floor. Most of our surgical procedures take place here. 

At Northwick Park Hospital ophthalmology services are carried out by staff from Moorfield’s Eye Hospital.

How to get to Central Middlesex Hospital

The Willesden Eyecare Centre, located within Willesden Centre for Health and Care, brings diagnostic and monitoring services to the community. This is a quick first point of referral to access diagnostic services close to the place you live. The centre works alongside our Central Eye Services at Central Middlesex Hospital. This allows us to refer you to more specialist services at the Central Eye Service if needed.

You can be referred by your GP or optician for:

• diagnostic tests
• eye conditions which require regular monitoring or that are long term, such as glaucoma
• eye pressure checks

If you have a complex eye condition or need intensive investigations you will need to see a specialist consultant at a hospital.

How to get to Willesden Eyecare Centre

When you attend your eye appointment or procedure you will need to bring with you:

• your appointment letter, text or email
• your medicines or eye drops, or a letter from your GP listing all your medication
• glasses and contact lenses, including any cases, storage containers and solutions
• sunglasses as some patients find these useful after they have had drops put in their eyes
• a snack and drink

Arrive at least five minutes before your appointment time.

As part of your eye examination you may be given eye drops. The eye drops take about 30 minutes to work and may effect your vision for the rest of the day. You should not drive until the effect of the eye drops has cleared.

We want to make sure you understand your condition and what is best for you. Write down any questions you want to ask us about your condition, treatment or monitoring. And we'll be more then happy to discuss these during your appointment.

This will help us address your concerns and provide you with the information you need.

Eye care liaison officer

Our eye care liaison officer can provide both practical and emotional support to you from the moment of diagnosis and throughout your eye care journey. 

Contact the eye care liaison officer by:

• phone 020 8453 2076 or 07955 312 151
• email lnwh-tr.eclo@nhs.net

Our Central Eye Service actively takes part in clinical trials.

• Our Diabetic Retinopathy service recruited patients for the CLEOPATRA (Clinical efficacy and safety of a light mask for prevention of dark adaptation in treating and preventing progression of early diabetic macular oedema at 24 months) trial.
• The Macular Service was one of the top recruiting sites for the DRAKO (A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Aflibercept in Routine Clinical Practice in Patients With Diabetic Macular Oedema)  trial and is currently recruiting patients for the STAR (Stereotactic Radiotherapy for Wet AMD) trial.
• The glaucoma service has just received approval to participate in MASTER (Multicenter CyPAss microSTEnt Registry) trial.