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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1978
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CONSULTATION AT EYE CLINICS ******
THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT TODAY ADVISED THAT BEGINNING ON MONDAY (OCTOBER 2) PATIENTS WITH EYE COMPLAINTS SHOULD ATTEND ANY ONE OF THE 52 GOVERNMENT OUT-PATIENT CLINICS FOR CONSULTATION AND TREATMENT INSTEAD OF TURNING UP AT THE TWO SPECIALIST EYE CLINICS.
IF THE PATIENT'S CONDITION IS SUCH THAT HE REQUIRES SPECIALIST TREATMENT, HE WILL BE REFERRED BY THE DOCTOR AT THE OUT-PATIENT CLINIC TO EITHER THE TANG CHI NGONG SPECIALIST CLINIC OR THE YAUMATI JOCKEY CLUB POLYCLINIC.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT EXPLAINED THAT THE INTRODUCTION OF THIS REFERRAL SYSTEM+ WILL ENABLE THE GOVERNMENT EYE SPECIALISTS TO CONCENTRATE ON TREATING PATIENTS WITH SERIOUS EYE TROUBLE.
+EXPERIENCES HAVE SHOWN THAT MANY CASES NOW SEEN AT THE TWO EYE CLINICS ARE ONLY MINOR AILMENTS THAT CAN BE ADEQUATELY TREATED BY DOCTORS AT THE OUT-PATIENT CLINICS, HE SAID,
A MAJORITY OF THE CASES ARE NOTHING MORE SERIOUS THAN BLOOD-SHOT EYES CAUSED BY LACK OF SLEEP, MINOR INFECTION OR FORE IGN PARTICLES IN THE EYE, WHICH DO NOT REQUIRE SPECIALIST TREATMENT.
FOR MANY YEARS THE EYE CLINICS HAVE BEEN OPERATING ON A +WALK-IN+ BAS IS, WHICH MEANS ANYONE WITH EYE COMPLAINTS, ALBEIT MINOR, TURNS UP AT THE EYE CLINICS, CAUSING UNNECESSARY DELAYS FOR THOSE WHO NEED SPECIALIST ATTENTION.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE REFERRAL SYSTEM THE EYE SERVICE WILL BE GREATLY IMPROVED WHILE PATIENTS WITH MINOR AILMENT OR SER FOUS COMPLAINTS WILL GET PROPER CONSULTATION AND TREATMENT WITHOUT UNDUE DELAY.
PATIENTS MAY ALSO BE REFERRED TO THE TWO SPECIALIST EYE CLINICS BY DOCTORS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE IN THE SAME WAY AS OTHER SPECIALTIES.
THE DEPARTMENT RUNS TWO FULL-TIME AND 14 PART-TIME EYE CLINICS FOR THE PUBLIC THROUGHOUT HONG KONG, KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES,
REFERRAL LETTERS, HOWEVER, WILL NOT BE REQUIRED FOR PATIENTS ATTENDING THE PART-TIME EYE CLINICS WHICH ARE BEING HELD ON A SESSIONAL BASIS.
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