Plymouth's new eye clinic officially opens

The new Royal Eye Infirmary was officially opened by 96-year-old Robert Johns

The NHS is celebrating the official opening of Plymouth's new eye clinic.

The new Royal Eye Infirmary (REI), located on Alpha Way, off William Prance Road, include theatres, an increased number of treatment rooms and an expanded area for children.

It was previously located at Derriford Hospital, but patients began using the new facility earlier this month.

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust said the opening was a "key milestone" in the future hospital project.

The three-floor facility was bringing together outpatient and surgical eye treatments currently provided at Derriford, the trust said.

It was opened by 96-year-old Robert Johns, who started using the city's eye services at the age of five.

The new three-floor facility will bring together outpatient and surgical eye treatments, bosses say

Trust chief executive Ann James said: "This is a key milestone in opening improved high-quality services for our community.

"We're so proud of all the teams who, as always, have worked so hard to make this new facility a reality."

Lizzie Padgett, head orthoptist at the REI, said the larger building would help reduce waiting times for patients in Devon and Cornwall.

She said eye conditions such as as cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration were increasing as the population aged.

She added: "We can now expand our REI team, which will allow us to treat more patients in a new purpose-built eye hospital, which has more clinical space."