Darren Parrish
Optical Services Manager, Asda Opticians
Local opticians aren’t just there to prescribe glasses and contact lenses. They also help patients who have vision or eye-related symptoms that require investigation.
When we have a problem with our teeth, we don’t go to our GP — we visit a dentist. Likewise, if we have an eye or vision problem, our local optician should be our first port of call, argues Darren Parrish, Optical Services Manager at Asda Opticians.
Opticians’ role in our health and the NHS
That’s because community opticians aren’t just there to perform eye examinations and prescribe glasses or contact lenses. They also play a crucial role in alleviating the burden on the NHS by investigating any concerning eye or vision symptoms. This can include minor symptoms such as dry, irritated or red eyes; but it can also include more serious ones, such as sudden loss of vision.
Sight loss is often preventable if
it is treated in a timely manner.
“The strain on the NHS is well-documented,” says Parrish. “If patients have any vision or eye-related symptoms, it may not be easy to get a GP appointment quickly — or a referral to ophthalmology, which is a busy outpatient specialty with high waiting lists. If patients book an appointment with their community optician at a convenient time, they’ll get the help they need sooner from a fully qualified and accredited optical professional. Any patient who presents to us with any eye problem is triaged and directed to the most appropriate pathway.”
You shouldn’t take any chances with your eye health, insists Parrish — you certainly shouldn’t wait if you are experiencing any worrying symptoms because it may lead to irreversible sight loss. “Sight loss is often preventable if it is treated in a timely manner,” he says.
Collaborating with other medical professionals
Asda Opticians also works closely with hospitals, GPs and other medical professionals to provide ‘enhanced optical services’, aimed at providing the best care for patients and communities.
Enhanced optical services include offering appointments to assess patient suitability and eligibility for cataract surgery, and also post-operative cataract care. “Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of preventable sight loss in the UK, so we provide glaucoma services to help professionals better identify patients who require onward referral,” says Parrish.
During an eye examination, patients can expect a thorough assessment of their eye health and vision. “Eyes are windows into the body,” says Parrish. “For instance, by looking into the back of the eyes, we can see signs of non-vision and non-eye-related conditions, such as high cholesterol and diabetes. So, a regular eye exam isn’t just important for the health of your eyes — it’s important for general health, too.”
