Standards & Guidance

Our range of high-quality guidance helps to maintain standards in the planning, practice and commissioning of patient care. Our clinical guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations across all aspect of care or of eye conditions; Concise Practice Points make recommendations for less frequent and targeted clinical situations, succinctly describing the scientific and clinical evidence alongside expert input to enhance clinician and patient decision making. Our Commissioning guidance supports eye units to develop services to meet local population needs.

Treating Retinopathy of Prematurity in the UK

This guideline covers the screening and treatment of reinopathy of prematurity. Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a potentially blinding condition affecting low gestation and very low birth weight infants. Worldwide it is a major cause of preventable blindness. Screening for ROP is undertaken to identify ROP that requires treatment. This evidence-based guideline for the treatment of ROP was developed by a guideline development group (GDG) of The Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth), the UK special interest group of ROP screeners and treaters (ROP-SIG) and the charity Bliss. The guideline was produced according to RCOphth standards for guideline development.

Professional Standards for Refractive Surgery

This document is targeted at surgeons and health care professionals involved in the care of patients undergoing refractive surgery. We emphasise throughout that surgeons are ultimately responsible for the safe delivery of patient care.

Retinal Vein Occlusion (RVO) Guidelines

This guideline update includes responses to the consultation in October 2021. It incorporates the impact of new imaging modalities and their findings on the management of retinal vein occlusion. The use of intravitreal agents in the management of retinal vein occlusion has been updated to reflect the increasing body of literature on its use along with the impact this treatment has on the natural history and complications of retinal vein occlusion. Scope: diagnostic tools, management, service set up and delivery of optimal care pathway for patients with RVO.

Managing an outbreak of postoperative endophthalmitis

The aim of this document is to provide advice on the identification and management of an outbreak of post ophthalmic procedure (post-op) endophthalmitis. The guidance will concentrate particularly on cataract surgery, but the principles and much of the detail are applicable to other intraocular procedures including intravitreal injections.

Framework for provision of eye care in special schools in England

This paper produced by SeeAbility, the Association of British Dispensing Opticians, the British and Irish Orthoptic Society, the College of Optometrists, the Local Optical Committee Support Unit (LOCSU) and the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, supported with advice from the Children’s Vision Service Advisory Group in Wales, provides a framework whereby all children and young people in special schools in England gain equitable access to regular eye care

High Flow Cataract Surgery

This document highlights the necessary steps, using real world examples, to develop high flow cataract services within hospitals. The key components that underpin high flow operating, whether in complex or lower complexity cases and whether in hospitals or standalone units, are described in this updated guidance.

Primary Eye Care, Community Ophthalmology and General Ophthalmology

This document concentrates on the commissioning and provision of eye health and ophthalmology services in England. It is intended to provide an overview of what should be in place across the eye health service system.

YAG Laser Capsulotomy Consent Form

For adult patients with mental capacity to give valid consent to Yag laser capsulotomy

Intravitreal Injection Consent Form

For adult patients with mental capacity to give valid consent to a Course of injections into back of the eye / Intravitreal injections