COVID-19 Urgent Eyecare Service (CUES)

If your eyes aren’t seeing or feeling quite right, you could be entitled to an NHS-funded ‘CUES’ appointment, if you are registered with a GP in Cheshire.

Recent onset problems such as sore eyes, dry eyes, red eyes or visual disturbance [like flashing lights or floaters] are best assessed by your Optician, not your GP.

So save yourself a call to the GP, and call us first with any eye concerns.

Get in touch

Eyes feeling funny? Let's fix that

Call us today!

Don't wait for your eye problems to get worse.

Get seen quickly.

We have emergency slots every day for urgent problems.

Get seen locally.

Instead of a big trip to the Countess of Chester or Arrowe Park, we can manage many problems here.

Need further tests?

If you do need to see an Eye Specialist, we have a direct line to the Eye Departments at the Countess of Chester and Arrowe Park to get you seen in the right timeframe.

What eye problems are covered by CUES appointments?

Examples of problems that can be seen under the service include:

Red eyes or eyelids

Dry eye, or gritty and uncomfortable eyes

Irritation and inflammation of the eye

Significant recent sticky discharge from the eye or watery eye

Recently occurring flashes or floaters [less than 12 weeks onset]

Ingrowing eyelashes

Recent and sudden loss of vision

Foreign body in the eye

Top tip – If you aren’t sure if your symptoms fall under CUES, give us a call on 0151 355 1077

Who is this service for?

This service is available for free (funded by the NHS) to anyone with a GP in Cheshire / Halton / Warrington / St Helens.

It is for people of all ages – adults and children. Children under 16 years must be accompanied at their appointment by an adult.

If you are not a patient in any of these listed areas then you can see us on a private basis, whereby the fees are £51.

Top Tip – If you are under our care, or the hospital eye department for a major eye condition, problems related to this condition will not be covered by this service. For example, we could not check your cataracts, glaucoma, or diabetic retinopathy under this service. However, if you have a separate problem then we can see you under the CUES service.

How do I book an appointment with the service?

Quite simply – give us a call on 0151 355 1077.

You will be asked some questions about your symptoms in order to assess how quickly you need to be seen by the service, which will be within 24 hours in urgent cases and within a few days for routine cases.

If your symptoms are not eligible for the service then you will be offered an eye test*.

Please take your glasses and a list of your current medication with you to the appointment.

If your symptoms are flashes/floaters /impaired vision-related, we may put drops in your eyes to dilate your pupils in order to get a better view inside your eyes. You should not drive until the effects of these drops have worn off, which may take a few hours.

If your condition requires additional investigations, we will refer you to a hospital eye clinic in the correct timeframe.

You may also be advised to make an appointment with your GP if your eye condition is related to your general health.

* If you are an NHS patient then you will need to meet certain criteria in order to be entitled,

Top tip – Please note, this is not a general sight test. We will only investigate your specific problem. You must still attend for your routine eye examination when reminded.