Site for new free eye test clinic in Portsmouth is chosen

The state-of-the-art clinic will open this autumn at the former Blackwell’s bookshop site in Cambridge Road, after a decision was made on how best to use the empty space for the benefit of the university and the community.

The clinic will be staffed by fully qualified optometrists, who will supervise second and third year optometry students to help them gain the essential clinical experience to qualify as practising eye specialists.

Professor Graham Galbraith, vice-chancellor at the University of Portsmouth, said: ‘The eye clinic ​is an impressive facility that ​will provide valuable hands-on training for our optometry students, helping them gain essential clinical experience.

‘Not only will the clinic support our students in enhancing their careers, it will provide a free service of care to the local community as well as to our staff and students. I ​am very much ​looking​​ forward to​ ​​it being fully operational.’

Works at the university-owned site will start in the coming weeks

Services available to the public will include free eye tests, contact lens assessments, specialist clinics for children and evaluations of eye conditions such as age related macular degeneration, glaucoma and eye-related effects of diabetes.

The clinic will also offer a range of glasses and contact lenses to buy at affordable prices, or customers could take their prescriptions to a high street provider if they prefer.

Blackwell’s vacated the building in March after the bookshop decided not to renew its lease.

To register for a free appointment visit go.port.ac.uk/eyeclinic or call (023) 9284 4462.