PATIENTS in Somerset with eye disorders will soon be able to be assessed in new diagnostic centres in Yeovil and Taunton.

The multimillion pound ophthalmology project has been partly funded by NHS England and both centres should open for patients this spring.

The Taunton centre will be at Blackbrook Business Park, with the Yeovil one in the former Monsoon shop in Middle Street.

The centres will be able to carry out investigations for a total of more than 20,000 retinal and glaucoma patients annually, with tests and images taken at the same appointment.

The initiative will help tackle a growing waiting list, reduce delays patients have experienced during the pandemic and cope with increasing future demand.

Edward Herbert, consultant ophthalmic surgeon at Musgrove-based Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This is a great step forward in delivering eye care across Somerset.

"We've been running imaging assessment clinics in the main hospital for a number of years and found significant advantages.

“With defined pathways the clinics tend to run much more on time than a standard clinic and the length of time each patient needs to be in the unit is much shorter.

"Access to the clinic is also expected to be a good deal easier than the main hospital.

“Expanding these clinics off-site will help us catch up with the backlog from the pandemic and meet the future rising demand.”

Pari Shah, consultant ophthalmologist at Yeovil Hospital, said: “We're so excited the work on this project is about to start.

"These new centres will be able to provide patients better ophthalmology care across the whole of Somerset.

"Running these centres off site will mean patients will be able to get numerous tests and images in one appointment and may not need to attend the hospital clinic.”

Peter Lewis, chief executive of Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and Yeovil Hospital, said: “We're pleased to be able to invest in these two new ophthalmic diagnostic centres in Yeovil and Taunton for our patients.

"The centres will provide patients across the whole of Somerset with better access to eye care.

"Somerset has an ageing population and the number of ophthalmology patients with retinal or glaucoma conditions increases with age.

“We also have one of the largest waiting lists in the country due to our patient demographic so these centres will enable us to see and treat more patients and reduce our waiting lists.”