Eye Care Referrals by your Optician


After an eye test at the opticians, you may be asked to seek advice from your GP or an eye specialist.  This may be due to general health problems, which have been picked up by the optometrist such as an indication that you may be diabetic.  You may have an eye condition or disease in which case an ophthalmologist will need to examine your eyes and suggest the best course of action.  If you have any queries or concerns, speak with somebody at your opticians and they will be able to guide you. 

Informing your General Practitioner

Your optometrist will inform you of the reasons for the referral and usually write to your GP.  He/she may give you a letter for you to take to your GP or they may post it directly to them, themselves.  Some GP’s will then contact you once they have read the results of the eye test, or you may be required to book an appointment to see them yourself.  If you have not heard from your GP, give them a call.  Some surgeries offer pre-arranged telephone appointments.  There is no charge for appointments with your GP but there may be occasional administrative costs and you may need to pay for prescriptions depending on your individual circumstances. 

If you have been referred by your optometrist directly to the hospital eye department rather than via the GP, the hospital will inform your GP of their findings and the reason for the referral.

Hospital Appointment

In the letter to your GP, your optometrist may ask the GP to arrange a hospital appointment for you.  Your GP will then usually send your optometrist’s letter and any relevant medical details, to the hospital.  The specialist (an ophthalmologist) at the hospital will decide how urgently you need to be seen and write to you with appointment details.  If these are inconvenient, contact the hospital as soon as possible as long waiting lists may apply.  It is advisable to try to stick with any hospital appointments, which have been organised for you.  The urgency of appointments depends on the urgency of your condition.  Do not worry if there appears to be a long time to wait between receiving the appointment notice and the date of the appointment.

There is also the option of being treated privately.

Emergency Hospital Appointment

If your eyes require urgent attention, your optometrist may refer you directly to a hospital accident and emergency department.  You will normally be given a letter to take and your GP will be informed.

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