Focus on eye care in the community this World Eye Sight Day/Canolbwyntio ar ofal llygaid yn y gymuned ar Ddiwrnod Golwg Y Byd

This World Sight Day, Hywel Dda University Health Board is raising awareness of the work of community optometrists and how they do more than help their patients choose the right pair of glasses.

In a short video, Community Optometrist Heddwyn Davies has highlighted the range of services that he and his colleagues provide to their local communities, and the specialist skills and knowledge they bring to primary care based eye care.

Community eye care covers a spectrum of symptoms that many people may go to their GP for such as red eye, a painful eye, double vision and a foreign body in the eye.

Llandeilo based Mr Davies, who is a Partner at Evans and Hughes Optometrists, said: “Whether you are looking for a routine eye examination or you have eye related symptoms that require further and enhanced investigation, then your community optometrist should be your first port of call.

“Your optometrist has the knowledge, expertise, skills and equipment to help diagnose and manage eye conditions, or refer if necessary for a second opinion.

“Many optometrists are up skilling and are providing enhanced services such as Low Vision clinics and are also participating in shared care schemes, co-managed with consultants and professionals within the hospital eye care service.

“Remember if you have acute symptoms such as loss of vision, flashes and floaters, red eye, painful eye, foreign body in the eye to name but a few, then visit your optometrist who can potentially see you as an emergency under the Eye Health Examination Wales scheme.”

Jill Paterson, Director of Primary Care, Community and Long-Term Care said: “Hywel Dda University Health Board is pleased to support our community optometrists in taking forward the increasing range of services which can now be provided within our local communities.

“We recognise the importance of the additional training which our optometrists have undertaken in order to provide these services and hope that individuals experiencing acute eye care problems can approach their local optometrist with confidence, knowing that accredited optometrists will have the expertise to assess and treat a range of symptoms in the local community setting and prevent the need for a trip to hospital where this is deemed not to be required.

To find your nearest optometrist, please visit: www.eyecare.wales.nhs.uk

To view the video, please visit: https://youtu.be/BQ-T288M_SU 

Canolbwyntio ar ofal llygaid yn y gymuned ar Ddiwrnod Golwg Y Byd

Y Diwrnod Golwg Y Byd hwn, mae Bwrdd iechyd Prifysgol Hywel Dda yn codi ymwybyddiaeth o waith Optometryddion Cymunedol a sut maen nhw’n gwneud mwy na helpu eu cleifion i ddewis pâr o sbectol.

Mewn fideo byr, mae’r Optometrydd Cymunedol Heddwyn Davies yn amlygu’r ystod o wasanaethau y mae ef a’i gyd-weithwyr yn eu darparu yn eu cymunedau, a’r sgiliau a’r wybodaeth arbenigol sy’n rhan o ofal llygaid mewn Gofal Sylfaenol.

Mae gofal llygaid cymunedol yn cynnwys sbectrwm o symptomau y mae nifer o bobl yn ymweld â’u meddyg teulu yn eu cylch megis llygad coch, llygad poenus, golwg ddwbl neu rywbeth yn y llygad.

Meddai Mr Davies, sy’n bartner yn Optometryddion Evans and Hughes yn Llandeilo: “Os ydych am brawf llygad arferol neu os oes gennych symptomau sydd angen eu hymchwilio ymhellach, dylech fynd at Optometrydd Cymunedol cyn unrhyw le arall.

“Mae gan eich optometrydd y wybodaeth, arbenigedd, sgiliau ac offer i helpu i ddiagnosio a rheoli cyflyrau llygad, neu os oes angen, eich cyfeirio am farn arall.

“Mae nifer o optometryddion yn cynyddu eu sgiliau ac yn darparu mwy o wasanaethau megis clinigau golwg gwan ac hefyd yn cymryd rhan mewn cynlluniau gofal a rennir, sy’n cael eu cyd-reoli gan Ymgynghorwyr a gweithwyr proffesiynol o Wasanaeth Gofal Llygad yr Ysbyty.

Cofiwch, os oes gennych symptomau acíwt megis colli golwg, fflachiadau a brychau, llygad coch, llygad poenus, neu rywbeth yn y llygad i enwi ond rhai, ewch at eich Optometrydd a allai o bosib eich gweld fel achos brys dan gynllun Archwiliadau Iechyd Llygaid Cymru.”

Dywedodd Jill Paterson, Cyfarwyddwr Gofal Sylfaenol, Cymunedol a Gofal Hirdymor: “Mae Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Hywel Dda yn falch o gefnogi ein Optometryddion Cymunedol wrth iddynt gynnig yr ystod cynyddol hon o wasanaethau yn ein cymunedau.

“Rydym yn cydnabod pwysigrwydd yr hyfforddiant ychwanegol mae ein Optometryddion wedi’i ymgymryd er mwyn darparu’r gwasanaethau hyn, a gobeithiwn bod unigolion sy’n profi problemau gofal llygad acíwt yn mynd atynt gyda hyder, gan wybod fad gan Optometryddion achrededig yr arbenigedd i asesu a thrin ystod o symptomau mewn lleoliadau cymunedol, gan osgoi mynd i ysbyty yn ddiangen.”

I weld ble mae eich optometrydd agosaf, ewch i: www.eyecare.wales.nhs.uk/hafan

I wylio’r fideo, ewch i: https://youtu.be/D8vR8KNEgxw