Eye care centre offering free appointments opens

A new £7.7m eye care treatment centre offering free appointments has opened.

The Centre for Eyecare Excellence, based at Hepworth House on the University of Plymouth's city campus, is an expanded version of a previous clinic on Gibbon Street.

It includes 34 treatment rooms, teaching areas and research laboratories, allowing optometry students to treat patients under supervision using industry standard equipment, said clinicians.

Clinical lead optometrist Jodie Burke said the centre would benefit both patients and students, with treatments offered including helping with glaucoma, contact lenses and general appointments.

Burke said: "We've had really positive feedback from everyone involved so far.

"Patients have loved the space because it's bigger and new, and they feel as if they are getting good quality eye care from this hub of experience."

She said having a single space was better for the students, rather than when it was spread across two campus locations.

"We grew out of where we were originally," Burke said.

"Now students can come to this hub, and they have a breakout space where they can rest in between clinics.

"It feels more together and like a community now."

Anna Jordan, one of the first patients to attend an appointment at the centre, said: "I was here to get a prescription for screen work.

"It's very well-organised and I felt very taken care of. My appointment was very good and thorough, so I felt really happy with my experience."

Bipasha Parmar, a third-year optometry student, said the facility had "so much great equipment".

"Everyone is so kind and I feel like we have great students and supervisors that really add more to the facility, and it's going to be a great year ahead," Parmar said.

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