General and Emergency Eye Care

Mr. Neffendorf looks after patients with general eye problems such as dry eye and glaucoma. He is also experienced at managing emergency eye problems such as red eye, painful eye, and loss of vision. He co-leads the Emergency Eye Service as part of his NHS role at King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust - one of the UKs largest hospitals, and one of only 4 London Major Trauma Centres.

Excellent

4.94 out of 5

Overview

The eye is an exceptionally complex structure, with a number of important elements that together can be considered like a camera. In order for it to function properly and allow us to see, all parts need to be working efficiently. It is therefore important to have regular eye checks to identify any problems early and manage them appropriately. It is well known that early identification often leads to better outcomes when it comes to eye problems.

Mr. Neffendorf has been highly trained in all areas of ophthalmology and able to look after patients with the vast majority of ophthalmic conditions.

Eye Conditions and Investigations

Dry Eyes

Dry eye disease is very common and affects 1 in 4 people to a varying degree. It can cause symptoms such as redness, grittness and discomfort. In most cases, simple lubricating drops can help the symptoms, but often there is an underlying eye problem, such as blepharitis which needs to be identified and managed appropriately.

Chalazion/Stye

A chalazion/stye is a lump of the eyelid in one of the Meibomian glands that produce the oily-part of the tears. They can become infected and painful, requiring a course of antibiotics. Sometimes a small surgical procedure is required to drain a persistent chalazion. The main cause is blepharitis, inflammation of the eyelid margin, that usually responds well to good eyelid hygeine in the form of warm compresses.

B-Scan Ultrasound

This is a scan that is used to examine the vitreous cavity and retina. It is particularly useful in those with dense cataracts or bleeding inside the eye (e.g. diabetic eye disease) where visualisation of the retina is challenging. Mr. Neffendorf also uses this technology to assess patients presenting with pigmented lesions (e.g. naevi/freckles) on their retina to determine whether they may be cancerous.

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) Scan

This is a scan that provides highly detailed information about the structure of the macula (central part of the retina) and optic disc. It is the most commonly performed test performed by Mr. Neffendorf. It is an important tool to identify, monitor and assess change in conditions such as glaucoma, macular hole, epiretinal membrane and age-related macular degeneration.

Emergency Eye Care

Red Eye

There are many conditions which can cause a red eye. These include problems such as conjunctivitis (known as 'pink eye'), sub-conjunctival haemorrhage, dry eyes, inflammatory eye disease (uveitis) and blepharitis. Some of these self-resolve, whereas others require treatment to reduce the chance of complications such as sight loss. It is important to see an optician or ophthalmologist if you develop a red eye.

Painful Eye

An eye might be painful for a variety of reasons. It is very common for a foreign body to get stuck on the front window of the eye (cornea) or underneath the eyelid, and cause irritation and pain. Other more serious causes of eye pain include corneal ulcers (often secondary to contact lens wear) and uveitis (inflammation inside the eye). It is important to see an optician or ophthalmologist if you develop a painful eye.