Emergency eye service

Our Emergency Eye Service is located in The Eye Unit at St Helier Hospital, on the ground floor of B block and is open Monday-Friday, 08:30-16:30.

From Monday 28 April 2025 we will be using a new referral from for our bookable service.

If you have an urgent eye problem please see one of our emergency high street opticians found at the following website:

https://www.primaryeyecare.co.uk/find-a-practice/

Alternatively you can see you GP or local Accident and Emergency department. Once you have been seen your Optician, Doctor or Nurse can email us on est-tr.acute-eye-referral@nhs.net or call 0208 296 3817 if same day treatment is needed.

Clinicians referring to the Emergency Eye Service

Please use the following form to refer to the Emergency Eye Service via email or fax.

Ophthalmology referral form

If a patient needs same day treatment please telephone the Emergency Eye Service on 020 8296 3817.

Referrals via email, fax or telephone will be triaged by a senior clinician and appointments will be arranged for the patient with an appropriate timeframe.

Tips when attending the Emergency Eye Service

Please bring your distance and reading glasses with you.
Please avoid driving yourself. We often need to dilate your pupils with eye drops, reducing your ability to focus. This usually last around four hours.
Your appointments may last several hours as a variety of different diagnostic tests are often required.
We manage eye emergencies which may delay your appointment.

Patients with acute recurrent sight threatening eye disease

If you have a recurrence of your symptoms, please phone the Emergency Eye Service on 020 8296 3817. The urgency of your condition will be assessed and an appointment booked as necessary.

Patients with problems following recent eye surgery at Epsom or St Helier hospitals

If you are concerned about your eye following recent eye surgery or eye injections, please phone the Emergency Eye Service on 020 8296 3817.

Out-of-hours ophthalmic care

Out of these hours if you have an eye emergency you should attend the general A&E at your local hospital, your GP or optician (depending on the severity of your condition or symptoms).

If urgent review is needed that evening or day, the person seeing you will discuss with the oncall ophthalmology doctor at Moorfields St George’s Hospital, Duke Elder ward, St George’s Hospital, Blackshaw Road, SW17 0QT. You may be seen on Duke Elder ward, St George’s Hospital if deemed appropriate.

Patients who already attend an eye clinic at one of the hospitals in the South West Thames Ophthalmology on call service (Kingston, St Helier’s, Croydon or St George’s Hospital) out of hours should ring Duke Elder ward directly on 0208 725 2064/2065 for advice if it is regarding their existing eye condition or if it could be related to it.

Emergency eye service

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