COVID-19

All of the UK is currently in the Green phase. 

You should now follow our updated Guidance for Professional Practice and your nation’s infection prevention and control guidance for healthcare settings.  

Further resources

UKHSA

Nation specific guidance:

National infection prevention and control manual for England

Northern Ireland Regional Infection Prevention and Control Manual

Scottish National Infection Prevention and Control Manual (NIPCM)

National infection presentation and control manual for Wales (in partnership with NHS Scotland)

Summary of COVID-19 guidance

We have summarised COVID-19 guidance applicable at different stages of the pandemic below.

During both the red and amber phases of the pandemic practices should:

  • Put appropriate infection control, practice modifications, and social distancing procedures in place
  • Ensure there is telephone/video review to determine COVID-19 status and level of eyecare need
  • Provide services remotely where possible and in the patient’s best interests
  • Ask the patient to attend the practice alone where possible and reduce the number of people in the consulting room
  • Ask patients to wear a face covering where possible
  • Conduct a risk assessment
  • Keep up to date with guidance published by UK governments.

Optometrists should:

  • Wear PPE if seeing patients face to face
  • Use alternatives to aerosol generating procedures (microblepharoexfoliation or Alger brush) until the green phase
  • Adapt their routine to reduce close contact with patients and streamline consultations to only do tests that are clinically necessary, rather than ‘blanket testing’ all patients in a category. Annotate the record accordingly
  • Make it clear on the record what adjustments have been made to the routine or decision making
  • Keep up to date with guidance published by UK governments.

What this means:

  • When a government or health service suspends routine primary care due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Services provided

What this means:

  • Ongoing COVID-19 pandemic with restrictions in place, but primary care remains open for routine services. Primary care services continue to enable the prioritisation of emergency/urgent and essential care on a needs and symptoms-led basis.

Services provided

What this means:

  • Social distancing requirements removed. COVID-19 related PPE is no longer required*. Prioritisation of care based on each nation’s regular local protocols.

Services provided

  • Resume all services on an open access basis.
  • Re-introduction of aerosol generating procedures

*UKHSA continues to recommend universal masking in all health care settings as a precaution to prevent the risk of transmission of respiratory infections including SARS-CoV-2. All staff should continue to wear a fluid-resistant face mask in the green phase as instructed by UKHSA. All people/ patients visiting health care settings should continue to be recommended to use a face covering as recommended by each nations health system. 

Follow us on Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest updates as they happen.

Essential reading

COVID-19 FAQs

Read on for the answers to your COVID-19 questions, covering a range of topics from driving and HES referrals to PPE and tonometry.

COVID-19: National news and information

We’ve been working with governments and eye health organisations across the UK to ensure that you have the all the latest news, information and regulations relating to optometry and COVID-19 in your nation.

COVID-19: Member updates archive

Since our first update on 20 March 2020, right at the start of lockdown, we’ve been providing timely, relevant news, information and guidance that you can trust.

More on COVID-19

Donya Gharanei: Life in lockdown

Join Donya Gharanei MCOptom, Optometrist at Specsavers Opticians in Acocks Green, as she discusses the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 Public health

COVID-19: Diary of an optometrist - part three

The third part of Dr Deacon Harle's experiences of providing urgent and essential care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 Public health

COVID-19: Life on the frontline

Join Rosie Gavzey MCOptom as she takes you through her experience of volunteering at London’s NHS Nightingale Hospital.

COVID-19 Public health

COVID-19: Update on testing for optometrists

We outline COVID-19 testing information for optometrists in all four UK nations.

COVID-19 Public health

COVID-19: A sharp rise in DIY-related eye injuries

Our advice on eye protection when working in the home or garden.

COVID-19 Public health

COVID-19: Patient case files

Join David Cummins MCOptom, Optometrist and Partner at PLM Optometrists in Scotland, as he takes you through a series of real-life cases, managed at his practice during the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 Public health

The lockdown locum life

Join Hassnain Safdar MCOptom, a Locum based in the East Midlands, as he navigates through his new 'normal' during the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 Public health

Forde Opticians: Life in lockdown

Join Gemma Hill MCOptom, Optometrist and Owner of Forde Opticians, as she takes you through her life as a ‘one-man band’ in her independent practice during the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 Public health

Our response to the Royal College of Ophthalmologist's guidance on eye care services after COVID-19

Our response to the Royal College of Ophthalmologist's guidance on reopening and redeveloping services after COVID-19

COVID-19 Policy Public health

COVID-19: Staying safe with remote consultations

Léa Surugue looks at how to carry out effective virtual consultations in a time of social distancing and discusses the clinical and legal pitfalls.

COVID-19 Public health

COVID-19: Diary of an optometrist - part two

The second part of Dr Deacon Harle's experiences of providing urgent and essential care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 Public health

Ball & Gatehouse Opticians: Life in lockdown

Join Nicola and Oliver Gatehouse, owners of Ball & Gatehouse Opticians, as they update you on the challenges they have faced in their practice since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 Public health

COVID-19: Diary of an optometrist - part one

Dr Deacon Harle FCOptom, Optometrist and Director at Osborne Harle in Kent, records his experiences of working during the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 Public health

COVID-19 diaries with Faye McDearmid MCOptom

Join Faye McDearmid MCOptom, optometrist at Campbell & McDearmid in Redcar, as she updates us on her week at work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 Public health

COVID-19: Patient support and information during lockdown

Our growing range of resources will ensure that you can provide the best possible patient care during these uncertain times. 

COVID-19 Public health

Five tips on studying from home during COVID-19

Five ways students can get the most out of studying from home in uncertain times

COVID-19

COVID-19 Urgent Eyecare Service (CUES) in England

This outlines a COVID-19 Urgent Eyecare Service delivered from a network of optical practices, acting as urgent eye care hubs, to support the immediate and recovery phase of the coronavirus pandemic.

COVID-19 Policy Public health

COVID-19: The NHSEI statement on redeploying the optical workforce

COVID-19 Policy Public health

New guidance on personal protective equipment (PPE)

The UK‘s public health bodies and the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges have published new guidance about personal protective equipment (PPE).

COVID-19 Public health

Ophthalmology and Optometry Patient Management during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has seriously affected the provision of eye care in primary and secondary care.

COVID-19 Public health

COVID-19: College respond to NHS guidance for optical practices in England

COVID-19 Policy Public health

COVID-19: We ask for urgent clarification on financial support in England

The College and the Royal College of Ophthalmologists has sent the following letter to Jo Churchill MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Prevention, Public Health and Primary Care.

COVID-19 Policy Public health

Remote consultations during COVID-19 pandemic

These temporary guidelines have been written to help optometrists who are conducting remote telephone/video consultations with patients.

COVID-19 Public health

Position on use of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) during the COVID-19 pandemic

Our guidance is aimed to help keep optometrists and their patients safe.

COVID-19 Policy Public health