Pharmacists in Wales have referred hundreds of patients with eye problems for further investigation during the first two weeks of a public health campaign, Community Pharmacy Wales (CPW) has revealed.

Two hundred patients were referred to optometrists and another 50 with more serious conditions to Wales Eye Service, CPW found in a survey of 100 of Wales' 714 pharmacies taking part in the initiative this month.

Pharmacists also carried out 100 MURs on patients with eye problems in the first two weeks of the Look After Your Eyes campaign.

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	The month-long campaign, run in conjunction with Public Health Wales and the Royal National Institute of the Blind Cymru, aims to encourage good eyecare and help patients understand the risk factors that can cause sight problems.

CPW chief executive Russell Goodway said the hot weather meant there was an "extra urgency" for people to visit pharmacies. The glare from bright sun was harmful to people with macular degeneration and to those with glaucoma, he said.

One patient who visited a pharmacy to buy sunglasses admitted she had glaucoma but was not using the prescribed eye drops because she did not know how to use them. Following an MUR, the patient promised to use the drops in the future, said Mr Goodway.

The campaign is one of three public health campaigns pharmacies are contracted to deliver in Wales each year. They have run a campaign on strokes already and will be launching a winter wellness initiative in October.