Ophthalmology

We are proud to offer consultant-led care via our network of ophthalmologists who provide high-quality care in diagnosing and treating a range of eye problems.

Our ophthalmology consultants use a variety of diagnostic tests to investigate your eye problems and find the best eyecare for your individual needs.

We have a dedicated network of 500 specialists that provide eyecare in over 50 hospitals. This network is focused on achieving the best possible outcomes and providing a solution for most eye problems.

It's not just ophthalmologists that make up our team. Ophthalmic nurses, optometrists and orthoptists also play a vital role in each stage of your eyecare journey, helping facilitate the expert care you will receive and keeping you informed and assured throughout your time with us.

All of this takes places within a comfortable hospital environment that offers the highest levels of clinical excellence, ensuring that you receive safe, high-quality care.

We offer personalised treatment built around your needs. Our experienced specialists will understand exactly what you need and will build a treatment plan for you.

We offer a diverse range of treatment options built around your needs, including:

• Cataract surgery: We perform thousands of cataract removal operations each year.
• Glaucoma services: These include trabeculectomy surgery, which treats glaucoma by draining out some of the fluid that has built up in your eye.
• Laser eye surgery: Laser eye surgery aims to correct poor vision and either reduce or eliminate the need for glasses or contact lenses.
• Lens exchange surgery: An alternative to laser eye surgery.
• Squint surgery: To treat 'squints', which is a deviation of one eye so that both eyes are not entirely straight.

There are a number of eye problems that can affect your vision. Common eye conditions that you might need treatment for include:

Cataracts

Cataract occurs when cloudy patches form in your eye’s lens. It can become worse with time, but cataract surgery can improve your eyesight by replacing the damaged lens.

Glaucoma

This eye condition creates a build-up of fluid in the front part of your eye, which leads to increased eye pressure. The optic nerve that connects your eye to your brain also becomes damaged. Glaucoma surgery can prevent further damage to your optic nerve and worsening vision or vision loss.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

There are two forms of macular degeneration: dry and wet.

Dry AMD is caused by a gradual deterioration of your macula (a part of your retina). Dry AMD is the most common and less serious type. It develops gradually when the light-sensitive cells in the macula slowly break down. Dry AMD can lead to loss of central vision, but it rarely causes complete blindness.

Wet AMD is the more serious type and affects around 10% of people with AMD. In wet AMD, the macula becomes damaged and new blood vessels start to grow behind the macula. Wet AMD can cause you to lose central vision in weeks. All people with the wet type had the dry type first.

Myopia (short-sightedness), hyperopia (long-sightedness) and astigmatism

These eye problems can cause blurred vision. Hyperopia affects your ability to see objects that are close to you, while myopia impacts your ability to see objects at a further distance.

Diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a diabetic eye disease that involves damage to the retina (the light-sensitive area at the back of the eye). High blood sugar levels can damage the tiny blood vessels in the retina, which can break, bleed and leak fluid.

Cataract surgery

During cataract surgery, the cataract is removed and the cloudy, natural lens in your eye is replaced with a clear, artificial lens.

Glaucoma surgery

Glaucoma surgery (a trabeculectomy) reduces pressure in your eye by draining the fluid from your eye. Your eye surgeon will create a small hole in the lining of your sclera (the white of your eye) to drain this fluid.

Eye injections for AMD

Injections can be used to treat wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). These contain drugs that are injected into your eye to prevent or slow the growth of the abnormal blood vessels that cause wet AMD.

YAG laser capsulotomy

YAG laser capsulotomy is a laser procedure that can quickly restore vision following posterior capsule opacification.

Laser eye surgery

If you have myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism, laser eye surgery can improve your vision by allowing your eyes to focus better. LASIK and LASEK are two common types of laser eye surgery. These use lasers to reshape your cornea (the front surface of your eyes).

What happens at an ophthalmology appointment? 

At a Circle Health Group ophthalmology appointment, you will see one of our consultant ophthalmologists who will discuss your concerns over your eye health and take a full medical history. Your appointment may involve a variety of diagnostic tests designed to assess your vision and eye health. This may include visual acuity tests, checks of eye pressure, and detailed examinations of the structures in your eye. Our consultants are equipped with the latest equipment to investigate deeper into any problems that may be affecting your eyes and create a tailored treatment plan for you.

What is CSR in ophthalmology? 

CSR stands for ‘Central Serous Retinopathy’, also known as Central Serous Chorioretinopathy (CSCR). It's a condition where there is a collection of fluid underneath the retina, which may cause a slight detachment and distortion in your vision. Although CSR usually resolves on its own, our ophthalmologists can monitor the condition closely and offer treatments if needed—including laser therapy or medication to hasten recovery and lower the chances of any complications. 

What is ARMD in ophthalmology? 

ARMD stands for ‘Age-Related Macular Degeneration’. It's a common eye condition that affects the macula, the central part of the retina responsible for detailed vision. At Circle Health Group, we diagnose and treat both dry and wet types of ARMD. Our ophthalmologists can provide you with treatments such as eye injections for wet ARMD to help slow your vision loss and support you in maintaining the best possible quality of life. 

What is the difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist?

Both these professions handle matters related to eye health, but there are some key differences. Optometrists are primary healthcare professionals who provide routine eye care, prescribe glasses and contact lenses, and can detect and manage some eye conditions. Ophthalmologists, like our consultants at Circle Health Group, are medical doctors who specialise in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of eye issues, and can also perform surgery for complex conditions and disorders of the visual system, the eye, and associated structures. Our consultants often work closely with optometrists to provide integrated eye care.

How long does an ophthalmology appointment take?

The length of time that an ophthalmology appointment takes at Circle Health Group can vary for different reasons and will depend upon what tests are required for you. Typically, a detailed examination of your eyes could last between 60 and 90 minutes. However, some appointments to address specific concerns or for follow-ups may be shorter. We always ensure that you are well-assessed as far as eye health is concerned and that all your questions and concerns are answered satisfactorily. 

Why would you be referred to ophthalmology? 

You may be referred to one of our ophthalmology specialists for a number of different reasons, including:

• Persistent problems with your vision that are not corrected with glasses or contact lenses
• Pain or discomfort in the eyes or their surrounding areas
• Suspected eye diseases, such as glaucoma or macular degeneration
• Screening for diabetic eye diseases
• Evaluation for the possibility of surgery, such as cataract removal
• Management of complex eye conditions 

Our consultant experts are here to help with any health concerns about your eyes.

What conditions would be treated by an ophthalmologist? 

Our ophthalmologists at Circle Health Group treat a wide range of eye conditions you may have, including:

• Cataracts
• Glaucoma
• Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
• Diabetic retinopathy
• Retinal detachment
• Corneal diseases
• Strabismus (crossed eyes)
• Uveitis (eye inflammation)
• Refractive errors (myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism)

Comprehensive care, including diagnosis, management, treatment, and follow-up services, is also available for many other eye conditions.

Booking your ophthalmological treatment with us depends on your eye condition and recommended treatment.

To get started, you can book a consultation online with one of our many experienced ophthalmology consultants. This is a simple and fast process.

You can book your consultation online or by calling us on 0141 300 5009.

Sources used:

1. What Is an Ophthalmologist vs Optometrist? - American Academy of Ophthalmology

2. Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) - National Eye Institute  

3. Eye Diseases - Cleveland Clinic

4. Top Causes of Eye Problems - Web MD 

5. What is ophthalmology? - Medical News Today