This information is for anyone with an urgent eye problem who wants to know where to get advice.

This covers anyone in the Kingston catchment area. If you are outside of this area, we can tell you where you can be seen.

Where to get advice

No walk-in appointments

You cannot attend the Royal Eye Unit at Kingston Hospital face-to-face without an appointment. We no longer have a walk-in casualty service.

If you have an eye problem, get advice from one of the services listed here. Each of these services will be able to tell you if your problem is urgent and needs immediate attention, and what the next steps should be. Choose the option which is most convenient for you.

During the day, weekdays only (except bank holidays)

Phone the Royal Eye Unit helpline (see Contact details, below)

or

Use the Urgent Eyecare Service run by participating local opticians (see Contact details, below)

or

Contact your GP.

 

Evenings, nights, weekends and
bank holidays

Contact NHS 111

or

Go to your local hospital Emergency Department (A&E).

Most emergency departments do not have eye specialists but can assess your problem and offer advice and treatment.

If necessary, you may be referred to an out-of-hours eye specialist. For patients in the Kingston area, this is at St George’s Hospital. Or if the condition can wait until the next day, you will be asked to contact our Royal Eye Unit helpline (see Contact details, below).

 

What next

Urgent

If you are told your condition is urgent, you will be:

  • given an appointment in our Acute Referral Clinic at Kingston Hospital

    or
     
  • referred to a hospital with emergency eye care, such as St George’s.

If you live outside the Kingston area you may be redirected to another hospital.

Not urgent

If you are told your condition is not urgent, you will be advised to see your GP, an optometrist (optician) or pharmacist.

Contacts

Royal Eye Unit helpline

For urgent eye problems:

  • 020 8934 6799
    Monday to Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm (last clinic appointment at 4pm)    

Urgent Eyecare Service

Run by participating local opticians. This service is open to anyone registered with a GP in Southwest London.

To find an optician offering this service:

NHS 111

For medical advice:

Walk-in eye emergency services

Western Eye Hospital emergency department
  • Open every day, 8am to 8:30pm
  • 153-173 Marylebone Rd, London NW1 5QH
  • 020 3312 6666
  • More details online.
Moorfields Eye Hospital emergency department
  • Open every day, 24 hours a day (including bank holidays)
  • Helpline 020 7566 2345 (or out of hours 020 7253 3411)
  • 162 City Road, London, EC1V 2PD
  • More details online.

Contact information

Royal Eye Unit
Kingston Hospital

Telephone:

Helpline for urgent eye problems:

020 8934 6799

Monday to Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm (last clinic appointment at 4pm)