Birmingham Midland Eye Centre

The eye emergency department provides an emergency service for adults and children with serious sight-threatening eye diseases and eye injuries.

The department uses triage – making sure we see patients with the most serious conditions first and to direct patients to the right treatment for the fastest possible service.

Opening hours
Monday – Saturday: 9am-7pm.
Sunday and Bank Holiday: 9am-6pm.

Out of hours patients should attend their local hospital’s accident and emergency department.

A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of your eye which can obstruct the passage of light through to the back of the eye and impair vision. This is often a result of getting older. The cloudy lens (cataract) is broken up using soundwaves and replaced with a clear plastic artificial lens inside the eye.

Cataract surgery is the most commonly performed operation in the UK and is generally very successful. However, no operation is risk free and the following are potentially serious complications:

• Swelling, bleeding, or infections
• Vision loss or double vision
• Unusual changes in eye pressure
• Retinal detachment
• Posterior capsule opacity (clouding of the back part of the bag the lens sits in)

The cornea is the clear front window of the eye. It can be affected be a variety of conditions which can change its shape and/or transparency. This often causes blurring of vision and can significantly affect people’s life.

The corneal team is made of highly skilled professionals dedicated to provide the best service to improve our patients’ ability to see.

Please note many of our corneal transplant procedures are only possible due to the generosity of people who sign up and inform their relatives of their wish to donate their eyes. We would encourage everyone to consider making their wishes for donation clear on the UK Transplant Register and discussing this with your family.

Investigations

A wide range of high-tech imaging devices are available in our department to assess the shape and health of the cornea (i.e. Pentacam corneal topography, specular microscopy, anterior segment OCT, anterior segment USG, anterior segment digital photography and confocal microscope). These instruments provide an essential aid for the corneal team in deciding the best management for our patients.

Treatment

Most corneal conditions can be managed with drops and tablets in the outpatient department. For conditions which require urgent and intensive treatment such as complex corneal infections we offer inpatient care on our eye ward.

In addition, our well-established consultants have the expertise to perform a wide range of interventions. We provide modern corneal surgery including automated endothelial keratoplasty, deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty and amniotic membrane grafts.

In addition, we offer specialised services for a variety of corneal conditions including a Supra-regional service in ocular surface and inflammatory eye diseases.

The day surgery unit is based on the first floor of BMEC.

The unit caters for four operating theatres and surgery is scheduled for morning and afternoon lists.

The unit deals specifically with patients who require eye surgery and investigations into eye disorders.

Surgery includes:

• Cataract
• Glaucoma surgery
• Ocular-plastic surgery
• Correction of squint
• Vitreo-retinal surgery
• Minor lid surgery
• Laser procedures
• Avastin / Ozurdex / Triamcinalone injections

Glaucoma is a condition where raised eye pressure causes damage to the optic nerve at the back of the eye and can lead to permanent loss of vision. It is the second leading cause of blindness in the world.

Investigations

The service also has state of the art diagnostic service providing advanced glaucoma imaging, including OCT optic disc imaging and high definition ultrasound scan for angle closure.

Treatment

We offer a full range of treatments from medical treatment, selective laser trabeculoplasty to advanced glaucoma surgeries. The service is at the forefront of innovation in glaucoma surgeries including glaucoma tube implant surgery, minimally invasive angle surgery, complex angle closure cataract surgery, endoscopic laser and endoscopic cataract surgery.

The glaucoma service is supported by a multidisciplinary team including doctors, nurses, orthoptists and optometrists. Our highly trained diagnostic technicians provide accurate tests to allow for both face to face and virtual patient reviews.

The inflammatory eye diseases service focuses on severe sight-threatening immune-mediated inflammatory eye diseases.

The service offers a range of highly-specialised diagnostic and monitoring strategies such as:

• Imaging
• Electrodiagnostic tests
• Aqueous and vitreous humour sampling.
• Corneal, conjunctival and oral mucosal biopsies

The oculoplastics department treats adults and children with a large range of conditions affecting the eyelids and the surrounding area of the face, tear drainage system and the eye socket.

Investigations:

We offer a range of investigations including radiological assessment of the orbit and surrounding structures with ultrasonography, CT, MRI and scintillography (imaging of the tear drainage system); various haematologic, immunologic and biochemical investigations in relation to orbital diseases; histopathology to assist diagnosis of suspicious lesions and electrodiagnostic testing to assess the function of the optic nerve which can become compressed in certain orbital conditions.

Treatment

We treat patients in a variety of ways depending on the specific condition. These can range from drops or oral medication to surgical procedures.

The optometry department offers a range of services

A range of services are provided including:

• Complex refraction
• Paediatric refraction
• Spectacle dispensing
• Medical contact lenses
• Low vision aid
• Glaucoma, medical retina / macula shared care

Opening hours

Monday – Friday, 8.30am – 4.30pm

The paediatric ophthalmology department manages a large range of eye conditions affecting children. These include common conditions such as eye infections, allergic eye disease, squints and refractive error. In addition we also see children with a range of other conditions including eye problems associated with hearing impairment,  developmental problems and inherited eye diseases. We work closely with the orthoptic team who play a vital role is assessing vision in children.

The visual function department provides a full range of electrodiagnostic tests to patients referred from the Midlands and Wales. The department also provides a regional clinical genetics service in paedietric and adult inherited disorders.

As well as ocular electrophysiology the department specialises in ocular ultrasound including ultrabiomicroscopy (UBM) and high frequency posterior segment ultrasound.

The vitreo-retinal Department treats a wide variety of conditions that affect the structures at the back of the eye, including the retina (the light-sensitive film in the eye).

The team undertakes surgical treatment for conditions such as retinal detachment, macular holes, epiretinal membranes, bleeds in the gel of the eye, diabetic eye disease, complex cataracts and complications from cataract surgery.