Outpatients

Our busy Outpatient Department is found on the ground floor of the Eye Unit and runs a number of clinics per day. Your outpatient visit may take up to 2-3 hours, especially if this if your first visit or if you require eye drops to enable the back of your eye to be examined. Please make appropriate arrangements (childcare or caring responsibilities) to ensure all investigations can be completed at your visit. We have a large imaging suite contained within the Unit, for visual field tests, photographs, retinal scans , fluorescein angiography, corneal mapping and ultrasound scanning.

Virtual Clinics

Your visit to the Outpatient Department will not always end with a face-to-face consultation with a Doctor. Virtual clinics are delivered for the monitoring of stable eye conditions such as glaucoma. For these visits, you will undertake a number of investigations such as a Visual Field test and/or a scan or photograph of your eyes. The results of these tests are reviewed later by your Consultant. They will contact you with the results and arrange for a face-to-face appointment or treatment if appropriate.

Macular Suite

The macula service is delivered six days a week by an experienced team of doctors, macular specialist nurses, ophthalmic technicians, health care assistants and administrative staff. Our recently built macula suite provides 3 large multifunctional rooms and 2 examination rooms which are light, bright and airy and decorated with beautiful Dorset scenic views. We have electronic records and networked imaging which supports diagnosis and treatment planning, with injections often given on the same day as the investigations. We see and treat approximately 200 patients a week, with many patients needing long-term follow-up for their retinal conditions.  

If you have been diagnosed with a retinal condition and feel understandably anxious about the injection treatments we offer, please watch our patient information video. This was made with the help of our own UHD patients and staff and explains the whole process in their own words.

Laser

We have several state-of-the-art lasers to treat glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, new vessels caused by vein occlusions, posterior capsule opacity of an implanted lens and retinal tears. Your pupils may be dilated or constricted with drops. You may be asked to wait for a pressure check up to an hour after your laser treatment. It is not advisable to drive to your appointment as the drops may blur your vision.

Cataract Clinic

Cataract clinics are run from outpatients. We aim to complete examinations and investigations needed for surgery at this appointment, which may last several hours. Please note that your first appointment for cataract will be in this clinic, and if suitable your name will be put on a surgical waiting list. This first appointment is not for surgery.