MP eyes up local surgery options in Sheffield and backs easier NHS access
A local MP has welcomed improved access to both NHS and private cataract surgery in Sheffield following a visit to the town’s dedicated eye clinic, where residents can now receive treatment without long journeys or unnecessary waits.
Clive Betts, MP for Sheffield South East, visited Optegra Eye Clinic Sheffield on Carbrook Hall Road, where he met patients, the local clinical team and heard about the services available.
Mr Betts said: “I’ve enjoyed meeting the team at Optegra in Sheffield today and hearing about the great work that they are doing with the NHS to bring down waiting times for people with cataracts.
“From touring the clinic today, I can see that patients who are referred here will be experiencing the highest quality facilities with excellent patient care and impressive outcomes. Services like this one are making it easier for my constituents to access NHS cataract treatment quickly and locally, enabling them continue to live their lives to the full.”
Cataracts affect around one in three adults aged over 65 years and are a natural age-related clouding of the lens of the eye. The only treatment option is a pain-free surgical procedure to remove the clouded lens and replace it with an artificial intra-ocular lens, which provides clear and bright vision.
Mat Pickering, Managing Director at Optegra, who met Mr Betts, said: “It is an absolute privilege to be part of a hospital group which restores vision to cataract patients, as the impact affects all aspects of life. It really does make a huge difference for people, helping them continue hobbies, work, driving and maintaining their independence.
“I spoke candidly about the constraints being placed on the sector by the NHS and the negative impact this is having on patients, and it was encouraging to hear that Clive shares our passion for always putting the patient first.
“To have treatment at Optegra Sheffield, patients with a cataract diagnosis simply need to ask their optometrist or GP to refer them here, and we can treat them at no cost as part of their NHS service.”
As well as NHS cataract surgery, Optegra Sheffield now offers private vision correction treatments. This includes access to lens replacement and laser eye surgery as options to reduce dependence on contact lenses or glasses.
Optegra Eye Health Care is a specialist provider of ophthalmic services. Established in 2007, with its first hospital opening in 2008, it has completed over one million eye procedures from its 78 eye hospitals across the UK, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Holland.
As well as providing private vision correction treatments – from lens replacement and laser eye surgery to implantable contact lenses – Optegra treats cataract surgery both privately and through its partnership with the NHS. Optegra also treats medical conditions AMD and glaucoma; and has launched the first ever treatment for people with the Dry form of AMD.
Optegra brings together leading-edge research, medical expertise and state-of-the-art surgical equipment. It performs more than 170,000 treatments annually, both private and publicly funded. Its top ophthalmic surgeons are renowned for their areas of expertise, offering excellent clinical outcomes and great patient service.