The Ophthalmology department provides most of the services that are part of modern ophthalmology. Both consultants trained as general ophthalmologists and have wide experience of most eye conditions; the trend in recent years in large hospitals is for sub-specialisation and many specialists in these institutions restrict their practice to one particular condition or group of conditions.

Because Dr Gray’s Hospital is a relatively small regional eye department, most conditions are covered in general or specialist clinics by the two consultants.

Both Mr Le May and Mr Bearn did sub-specialist training as part of their post-graduate education, but do not restrict their practice to those specialist interests.

Clinics are held daily in Dr Gray’s but may be less frequent during the absence of one, or occasionally both, consultants.

Dr Gray’s Eye Department is part of the Grampian catchment area, which includes Moray and Aberdeenshire. Dr Gray’s provides services for Morayshire and for parts of west Aberdeenshire via the main hospital in Elgin, and peripheral clinics held at Forres, Buckie, Keith, Banff and Huntly.

Some services are centralised at Gray’s. Most cataract patients are seen at Gray’s so that a medical assessment can be done and all measurements and paperwork prior to surgery completed at the one visit. Laser treatment is also only available at the main hospital. Some specialised services require patients to be referred onwards to our parent department in Aberdeen, but we also sometimes make use of the expertise available at Raigmore eye department in Inverness.

For many patients, the first point of contact with an eye problem is their local Optometrist (optician) or GP. Increasingly primary eye care is becoming the responsibility of optometrists who are well equipped to examine and determine the nature of the problem, and it is an optometrist that people should consider consulting first. If you see your GP, he or she may initially refer you to one of the local optometrists for specialist examination. Optometrists now provide a free eye healthcare service as well as their usual service for glasses. Optometrists are able to refer patients directly to the hospital if it is something that they are not confident of dealing with themselves.

Most surgical procedures are done as day-case surgery and an overnight stay is usually not required. The majority of procedures are done with local (awake) anaesthesia. Modern cataract surgery has a rapid recovery and there is little restriction on activities following this.

Refractive (Lasik) and cosmetic procedures are not available at Dr Gray’s.

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