Eye Department

Welcome to Dorset County Hospital’s Eye (Ophthalmology) Department, also known as The Royal Eye Infirmary. The department includes a large outpatient clinic with imaging and treatment areas and a dedicated Eye Day Case Unit for surgery situated in East Wing Theatres. We also offer some outpatient clinics at the Dorset community hospitals including Blandford, Bridport, Sherborne and Weymouth. There is a visiting Artificial Eye service. We collaborate closely with ophthalmology colleagues at The University Hospital Dorset and continually to strive to improve ophthalmology services across the county of Dorset. The department is actively involved in NHS clinical research trials.

What conditions we deal with

We provide a general ophthalmology service with a range of specialist clinics. The common eye conditions that we deal with are glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusions, eye emergencies and eyelid surgery. 

Our clinical staff

Consultant Ophthalmologist:  Mr S Goverdhan - Medial retina and clinical lead

Consultant Ophthalmologist: Mr U Faridi – Glaucoma

Consultant Ophthalmologist: Mr A Mutamba – Oculoplastics, Paediatric Ophthalmology/Ocular Motility and neuro ophthalmology

Consultant Ophthalmologist: Miss Emeriewen - Oculoplastics

Specialty Doctor: Dr D Carayannopoulos

Specialty Doctor: Dr L Vatamaniuc

Specialty Doctor: Dr Perera

Contact us

We are open Monday to Friday 8:30am - 5.30pm and Saturday 8.30am - midday.

Outpatient enquiries – 01305 255779.

Admissions – 01305 255451.

How to find us

Level 0, Entrance 2, East Wing. Look for the large blue and red sculpture known as ‘The Pencils’. Click here for a hospital map. 

We also undertake community clinics at The Yeatman Hospital in Sherborne, Blandford, and Bridport Hospitals. Please refer to your appointment letter to check where your appointment will be taking place.

Referrals

Getting referred
We do not provide a walk-in urgent service.  We see patients by appointment only. Patients can be referred to us routinely and urgently by:

• your GP
• your opticians
• one of the Minor Injuries Units
• the main Dorchester Emergency Department
• if you are already in hospital, your consultant may refer you to the eye department while you are an inpatient

How to refer (for professionals)
All urgent referrals are triaged by a clinician. Referrals need to be written, faxed, or emailed containing patient name, DOB, address and where possible NHS/Hospital ID. Please provide a detailed explanation for reason of referral so the referral can be graded appropriately. 

Eye emergencies

We run eye casualty clinics for urgent sight threatening conditions.

The eye casualty clinic is not a walk-in service. We see patients by appointment only.

What is an eye emergency?

• recent and sudden changes in vision including flashes or floaters
• a chemical injury
• extreme trauma to the eye
• foreign bodies in the eye
• inflammation of the eye
• red eye or eyelids
• severe eye pain

If you have any of the above signs or symptoms you can be referred to us urgently by either by your GP, optician, minor injuries unit or ED. Referrals will be graded by a qualified member of staff and patients will be seen in order or clinical priority.

For current eye patients 
If you are already under the REI and feel your condition has deteriorated, you can call the REI triage line on 01305 255192.

For the macula triage line please call 01305 253166.

For new patients
You will need to be referred to us by any of the above methods.

Orthoptics

The Orthoptic Department is based at the Royal Eye Infirmary at Dorset County Hospital. Orthoptic clinics are carried out regularly in the hospital and in surrounding community clinics at the Dorchester children’s centre, Blandford, Bridport, and Weymouth. Patients may see an orthoptist, optometrist and/or ophthalmologist as part of their care. Click here for more information.