The Cheshire and Merseyside Community Urgent Eye Care Service (CUES) provides urgent assessment, treatment or referral for sudden onset eye problems such as flashes, floaters, vision loss or minor eye injuries.

This service is available in six localities of Cheshire and Merseyside, see below for your locality and eligibility requirements;

• Cheshire – for patients registered with a Cheshire locality GP
• Countess – for patients registered with a West Cheshire locality GP or transferred from the Countess of Chester Hospital
• Knowsley – for patients registered with a Knowsley locality GP
• Sefton – for patients registered with a South Sefton or Southport & Formby GP
• St Helens/Halton – for patients registered with a St Helens or Halton locality GP
• Warrington – for patients registered with a Warrington locality GP

If you have any problems with your eyes, including the symptoms below, you should first contact a local optician (also known as optometrists):

• A red or painful eye
• Something in your eye, that won’t come out
• Sudden change in vision
• Flashes or floaters

Always call first – this is not a walk-in service. You will be able to explain your eye problem after which you may then be given self-care information, booked in for an appointment (virtual or in person), referred to hospital eye services, or referred to your GP practice if there are other health issues that need to be addressed.

Please note that this service is not an eye test.

If you have a major eye condition that is being regularly monitored by your optometrist or hospital eye service, such as cataract, diabetic retinopathy or glaucoma, this is not covered by this service. In this case you should consult your usual opticians or hospital eye service directly for advice in the usual way.