Orthoptic Department

Bradford Royal Infirmary

General Orthoptic appointments are offered every day at The Orthoptic Department (Eye and ENT Outpatients.

Airedale & Skipton General Orthoptic Clinics

We see all ages at Skipton and Airedale in the orthoptic clinic and our sessions are on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays (Skipton is just Tues and Friday morning).

Check in at AGH is on clinic 4, main out-patients.

Please, ask for Skipton if this is more accessible for you.

We work closely with the optometry department and the other ophthalmologists who are here.

The secretaries contact numbers are 01535 292597 or 01535 292160

The appointment clerk is 01535 294335

This clinic offers a slightly longer appointment in a quiet room where the assessment is adjusted to fit the needs of the individual. This clinic runs on Alternate Tuesdays.

Please speak to an Orthoptist if your child has SEN (Special Educational Needs) and you feel they would benefit from attending this clinic.

Please see Familiarisation video of an Orthoptic Assessment in the SEN Clinic: Eye Spy with Nurse Julie – Your Orthoptic Adventure

Advice on encouraging your child to wear glasses

An orthoptist, optician and sometimes the consultant paediatric ophthalmologist goes into Delius and Chellow Heights schools to assess the children’s vision every term.

The majority of the children will then be seen by the Bradford University Vision team in school to monitor vision, prescribe and dispense glasses where appropriate and refer to the hospital eye service if needed.

The NHS recommends vision screening at age 4 to 5 years. Vision screening is carried out by an Orthoptist in your child’s school if they attend a school in Bradford or Keighley. This happens in Reception year.

We write to all parents to inform them when this is will occur. You can choose to opt out of this assessment but must inform us in advance.

If screening suggests reduced eyesight, we will send you a letter confirming this and we will refer your child for further tests. We will do our best to support children who have additional needs if they cannot manage the eye test at school.

Further tests could take place at:

• a hospital eye service (Bradford Royal Infirmary or Airedale General Hospital)
• your local opticians (by an optometrist)

We will then recommend the best treatment for your child.

For further information see below: www.nhs.uk/childrens-eyes

Contact email address: orth.opt@bthft.nhs.uk

Telephone number: 01274 364175

Include your child’s name, date of birth and the school they attend when you make any enquiry.

The Low Visual Aid Service runs from the following locations:

• Bradford Royal Infirmary – Alternate Tuesdays all day
• Bradford Macular Centre – Alternate Tuesday afternoons
• Westwood Park Hospital – Every Friday all day

The Low Visual Aid (LVA) clinic is aimed at helping patients with visual difficulties or a visual impairment.

A full assessment is carried out by a qualified Orthoptist trained in Low Vision to determine whether a magnifying device is beneficial and which magnifier is the most appropriate.

We have a wide range of magnifying devices which are issued on loan from the hospital.

Advice on lighting, contrast and other resources and services available in the area is also provided.

Sometimes, if you suddenly lose a lot of your sight, you can see things that are not real (hallucinations) this is called Charles Bonnet syndrome.

Eye clinic liaison officer – Iftekhar Ahmed

Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has a dedicated eye clinic liaison officer (ECLO), Iftekhar Ahmed, who can provide advice and support for anyone affected by sight loss on topics that can make life easier.

They include:

• maintaining your independence
• equipment and technology that can help you do the things you need to do
• eye condition and treatment understanding
• access to education, employment, and leisure
• benefits and concessions that you may be entitled to

For more information on RNIB’s Sight Loss Advice Service

Contact details

Telephone: 01274 382 045

Email Iftekhar.Ahmed@rnib.org.uk

Vision problems following Stroke are common and can include reduced vision, double vision, visual field loss (missing parts of the vision) and visual perception difficulties such as visual hallucinations.

Patients may be offered an Orthoptic assessment on the ward or in the outpatient department, or they may be advised to visit a community optician.

It is important for patients to have their eyes tested after a stroke as not all eye problems are obvious.

For patients who drive, it is essential to have an eye test before returning to driving to ensure they meet the DVLA driving standards.

Treatment advice can be offered in relation to glasses, prisms, exercises and adaptations.

The visual field clinic is run by Orthoptists and Health Care Assistants.

Patients with conditions such as Glaucoma, Stroke and other neurological conditions may be offered an appointment in this clinic so they can have their peripheral vision plotted and monitored.

The results of the field test will subsequently be reviewed by a clinician and, if relevant, exercises or adaptations will be advised.

This service runs from Waddiloves Health Centre, Bradford on a Monday and Tuesday.

It is a routine eye service for adults with Learning Disability who are unable to access mainstream services (Community Opticians)

Reasonable adjustments are made, and familiarisation of assessment and clinic is allowed to enable an accurate assessment to be done.

We are unable to carry out a detailed eye health check here or offer any medication.

If there are any eye concerns, the service user is signposted to an Optician, GP or Ophthalmologist for treatment.

Minor Eye Conditions Service – Bradford LOC