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Welsh Artificial Eyes Service Page

The Wales Artificial Eye Service (WAES) is the single national provider of the artificial eye service for Wales. WAES is commissioned to provide artificial eyes for psychological, social and cosmetic purposes to people across a number of sites in Wales. WAES is delivered by the Artificial Limb and Appliance Service (ALAS) in Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, and provides a service to around 1,750 active patients across Wales. There are approximately 80 new referrals to the service per year, and these are broadly received following, trauma, surgery, cancer or a congenital condition of the eye.

An artificial eye is a custom-made medical device manufactured from medical grade polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) that replaces an absent living eye or covers a damaged eye to improve cosmesis, fill the volume deficit and maintain the shape of the eye socket. Each artificial eye is custom-made and manufactured from a prescription designed by an Ocularist or Orbital Prosthetist in accordance with Medical Device Regulations (MDR). Loss of an eye or eyes is a life-long condition, but it should be recognised that sight loss can be managed effectively through specialised rehabilitation services and re-enablement support and can provide the individual patient with improvements in quality of life and independence.

The main hub is based at the Artificial Limb and Appliance Centre (ALAC) 18-20 Fairwater Road Llandaff Cardiff CF5 2YN

Outpatient clinics are held in:

  • ALAC Wrexham (ALAS) Gate 7, Wrexham Maelor Hospital, Rosinweed Road, Wrexham. LL13 7NT
  • Abergele Hospital – Stanley Eye Unit, Abergele Hospital, Llanfair Road, Abergele, Conwy. LL22 8DP
  • Colwyn Bay Community Hospital, Heskett Road, Colwyn Bay. LL29 8AY
  • Bro Ddyfi Hospital Machynlleth, Heol Maengwyn, Machynlleth, Powys. SY20 8AD
  • Specialist Rehabilitation Centre, Morriston Hospital, Swansea. SA6 6LG

WHSCC Commissioning Policy: CP238 – The Welsh Artificial Eye Service (WAES)

How to contact the Eye Service.

To contact the Eye Service, please call 02921 848100 and then pick option 4 for the Orbital Prosthetic Service.


How to contact the Eye Service.

To contact the Eye Service, please call 02921 848100 and then pick option 4 for the Orbital Prosthetic Service. 

 

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