The Minor Eye Conditions Service (MECS) is an NHS service delivered by accredited community optometrists. It provides assessment and treatment for patients with recently occurring minor eye problems, helping to ensure patients are seen quickly in the most appropriate setting.

Patients of all ages who are registered with a local GP in a commissioned area can access the service. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

The service is designed to manage a range of urgent eye symptoms, including:

• Red eye or eyelids

• Ocular pain

• Recent flashes or floaters

• Sudden onset of blurred vision or visual field defects

• Corneal abrasions or foreign bodies

• Dry eye, blepharitis, epiphora and trichiasis

• Lumps or bumps around the eye

Patients can normally be assessed within 24 hours for urgent cases and within a few days for non-urgent cases.

MECS does not cover conditions such as:

• Severe conditions e.g. orbital cellulitis, temporal arteritis    

• Eye problems related to herpes zoster  

• Adult squints, long standing diplopia  

• Removal of suture  

• Patient report symptoms that indicate a sight test is more appropriate than this service  

• Repeat field tests to aid diagnosis to aid an eye examination  

• Your own contact lens patients presenting with problems  

• Suspected cancers of the eye  

• Dry age related macular degeneration  

• Patients with significant other ocular pathology requiring specialist referral  

• The service is not to be used to monitor any diabetic retinopathy patients.

Patients should contact a participating optical practice directly. A list of practices is available on the Primary Eyecare website.