The Royal Eye Unit is located in Kingston Hospital, Galsworthy Road, Kingston-upon-Thames, KT2 7QB.
Our entrance is across the street from the Maternity building, just around the corner from the hospital’s Main Entrance.
Paediatric Ophthalmology Services is a dynamic team of ophthalmology specialists who examine, evaluate and treat children’s eye conditions.
During your visit, you may be seen by several ophthalmic specialists. Depending on your child’s eye condition, patients will be seen by the following:
Orthoptists check your child’s vision and eye movements, even in non-verbal children as there are several ways to examine the eye muscles. We also monitor visual development in children, including recommending glasses and eye patches. We manage both adults and children with strabismus (eye turn), amblyopia (childhood lazy eye), diplopia (double vision).
Opticians/ Optometrists undertake glasses assessments and can also evaluate the general health of your child.
Nurses will assist in instilling eye drops prior to your child being seen by the ophthalmologist, optician or optometrist, as well as perform other diagnostic assessments.
Dilating drops are commonly given in order for the doctor to fully check your child’s eyes. These drops may sting but are necessary to ensure that the eyes are thoroughly evaluated. Numbing drops can be given to ensure patient comfort prior to instilling the dilating drops.
Please note that dilating eye drops may need some time to take effect, depending on your child’s eyes (darker-eyed patients take longer to dilate) so please remember to bring food, toys, treats or comfort items that your child may need during your appointment. If the eyes do not dilate at a certain time, we may require instilling another set of drops in order to ensure optimal dilation prior to examination. You may notice that the child’s pupils (the black part of the eye) will look enlarged after the drops have been given.
Not all patients may need eye drops during their visit.
Ophthalmologists perform examination of the child’s eye, as well as recommend and provide treatment for their eye problems.
Please note that some patients may not necessarily see the doctor during their visit.
What is Eye Clinic Liaison Officer Service?
Our Eye Clinic Liaison Officer, Sabeena Weyhanage, provides service for CYPF (Children, Young People and Families)
A baby-changing room is also available in our unit.
Due to our Trust’s Infection Control Guidelines our outpatient playroom area is currently unavailable. Nonetheless, Paediatric patients will be handed age-appropriate activity packs to make their visit a pleasant experience.
Main Kingston Hospital Number: 02085467711
Royal Eye Unit:
Acute Referral Clinic (Emergency) telephone number: 02089346799
Royal Eye Unit Admin Department: 0208-934-6404
Visiting is currently limited to one parent/ carer, in which COVID safety protocols (masks, hand sanitizers, temperature checks are in place). We encourage limited individuals to accompany the patient, unless otherwise necessary, in order to promote social distancing at the waiting area.
Upon arrival kindly check the patient in at the reception desk and wait for one of the staff members to call you from the waiting area. There is a particular reception section intended for our Paediatric patients.
Please note that visiting is on appointment basis. Referrals should be sent by your doctor, GP or optician prior to receiving an appointment from our admin department who will get in touch with you.
For emergency eye cases, kindly contact our Acute Referral Clinic. (See Contact information below.)
Due to limited space, we kindly ask that you come closer to your appointment time in order to avoid crowding in our waiting area.
