Emergency Eye Care and Minor Eye Conditions Appointments
Minor Eye Conditions Service (MECS)
Independent Prescribing Optometrists
Airedale Opticians at Keighley and Crosshills provide the MECS service. If you are registered with a GP in the Bradford, Airedale or Craven area we can see you for a NHS funded appointment for a recent onset eye condition.
Currently Airedale Opticians are the ONLY Independent Prescribing Optometrist using OCT, Optomap and IPL technology in the North of England (2026).
Please call the practice and speak to our staff who will take details and advise you further.
If you would like to book an appointment under MECS, please call the practices directly:
Keighley 01535 690077
Crosshills 01535 635856
A MECS appointment is for any recently onset, serious eye health concern – for the full list of eligibility criteria please see the Bradford LOC website. The appointment will cover a health check but no spectacle prescription is issued. There is an NHS inclusion/exclusion criteria for MECS – We also offer private MECS appointments.
What is MECS?
If you have had a recent onset eye condition (less than a few weeks) and have a GP registered in the Bradford / Airedale / Craven area, then you may be treated at Airedale Opticians on the NHS for an appointment.
The Bradford, Airedale and Craven Minor Eye Conditions Service (MECS) uses the skills of Optometrists in the community to see and treat patients presenting with a minor eye condition. Management will be maintained within the primary care setting for as many patients as possible – avoiding unnecessary referrals to hospital services.
Examples of treatment may be in the form of recommending over the counter eye drops for conjunctivitis or providing advice on dry eye conditions.
MECS is available to people with new or very recent onset minor eye problems to get the help that they need quickly and easily closer to home.
MECS appointments will NOT result in the issue a prescription for spectacles.
Under this scheme, any patient who is registered with a Bradford or Airedale area GP (including Craven) can access this local service rather than waiting for a GP appointment or referral to a specialist clinic.
Patients are able to self-present without referral from the GP.
Initially, you will need to contact Airedale Opticians by telephone for an initial triage. Please do not use the website contact form or email in this circumstance.
The service is available at both Keighley and Crosshills.
Why choose Airedale Opticians for your MECS appointment?
At Airedale Opticians you will be seen by our experienced Optometrists, who will provide advice and, if needed, treatment. If referral to hospital is needed, this can usually be done by our Optometrist directly on the same day.
Airedale Opticians is uniquely able to provide in-house treatment for certain conditions such as dry-eye or blepharitis, providing instant relief, rather than waiting for long referrals. We also carry the largest selection of eye drops, solutions and health products in-practice.
Emergency Eyecare Appointments outside of MECS
If you have any eye concerns that are not covered by a MECS appointment, or you are not registered with a local GP, we can still see you for an Emergency Appointment Privately. Contact the practice by telephone for more information or to book an appointment.
If you have any queries please contact the practice, or if you have an urgent eye health concern out of hours, please use the NHS 111 service.
