Red Eye MECS

If you suffer from a red eye or irritation then book in for a MECS or See & Treat appointment.  MECS appointments are available within 5 days and sometimes even on the same day.  The MECS NHS service in Coventry & Rugby has been terminated by the NHS from 31st October 2025.

After 31st October 2025, patients in need of urgent eye appointments will have to either:

  1. book a private Urgent Eye appointment at our practice (£75)
  2. call your GP
  3. call UHCW eye casualty

We are extremely concerned about the termination of the MECS NHS service by the ICB (NHS Integrated Care Board) and would urge all patients to register their compliant here.

Eligibility Criteria

You will be eligible for the See & Treat service if you have any of the following:

  • Eye discomfort or irritation
  • Red eye where there is no loss of vision or pain
  • Minor foreign body and emergency contact lens removal (not by the fitting practitioner).
  • Dry eye
  • Epiphora (watery eye)
  • Trichiasis (in growing eyelashes)
  • Differential diagnosis of lumps and bumps in the vicinity of the eye
  • Flashes/floaters
  • Retinal lesions
  • Intraocular pressure refinement (requires referral from your Optician)
  • GP referral

If your GP is not registered in Coventry, you will not be eligible for the service and you should see your GP.

After the Consultation

After your consultation, one of the following actions will most likely occur:

  • The optometrist decides to manage the condition, and offers advice and/or prescribes/recommends medication. For example, if your red eye is diagnosed as conjunctivitis you may be given antibiotic drops.  A follow-up consultation may be necessary.
  • The optometrist carries out a minor clinical procedure e.g. eyelash removal or foreign body removal. A follow-up consultation may be necessary.
  • The optometrist diagnoses the condition and suggests/prescribes appropriate medication or the GP is requested to prescribe.
  • The optometrist makes a tentative diagnosis and refers you urgently/non-urgently into the Hospital Eye Service using appropriate channels of communication.
  • The optometrist reassures and discharges you.
  • The examining optometrist recommends an NHS or private sight test.

Book Appointment

Call 024 76 444566

Red Eye: Common Causes

There are a number of causes of red eye.  The most common causes include:

  • Dry eyes
  • Conjunctivitis (viral, bacterial or other organisms)
  • Episcleritis
  • Allergy
  • Foreign body
  • Contact lens wear
  • Pterygium

Go to Eye Casualty if you experience:

  • A sudden loss of vision (rather than blurring)
  • If you have a sudden onset of pain in your eye
  • Chemical injuries
  • Sudden onset of double vision
  • Foreign body injury (especially if hammering or chiselling)
  • Penetrating trauma

This is not an exhaustive list, please contact us if you are unsure.