As of 1st of April 2025 Primary Eye Care will be operating the Minor Eye Conditions & Optometry Led Services (MECs) across North East London (NEL).

The new MECs service will see patients for the following conditions as already part of the City & Hackney current service:

• Minor Eye Conditions
• Glaucoma refinement services (Repeat measures)
• Cataract refinement services (Pre- assessment)

Updates:
Direct Referrals to Minor Eye Condition Services:
GPs can directly refer patients to a Minor Eye Conditions provider for ALL routine minor eye conditions symptoms and cataract refinement services by signposting to the chosen MECs participating practice, where patient can contact them to make an appointment. After a MECs assessment optometrists can onward refer to secondary care if required.

*More information on the MECs service which includes an up to date list of MECs participating practices can be found on the provider website directory.

Access to All Minor Eye Condition Providers:
All NEL registered patients will now have access to all Minor Eye Condition Service providers in NEL, regardless of their location. This will ensure that patients receive the care they need, no matter where they are located, improving the overall efficiency of the service.

Onward referrals
All GP referrals to secondary eye services should be made by sending a referral to ophthalmology services through the NHS e-Referral Service offering patient choice.

Contact for more information:
NEL ICB Commissioner for MECs: Tahera Khan, Tahera.Khan4@nhs.net

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusions

• Some types of red eyes
• Irritated or inflamed eyes
• Sticky discharge or watery eyes
• Ingrown eyelashes
• Foreign bodies in the eye
• Some types of flashes and floaters

 

Exclusions

• severe ocular pain
• suspected retinal detachment
• retinal artery occlusion
• chemical injuries
• penetrating trauma
• orbital cellulits
• sudden loss/dramatic reduction in vision
• double-vision – Refer to A&E
• Suspected stroke/TIA
• temporal arteritis

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How to refer

The following clinicians can refer to this service: GPs

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