22 October 2025
During the beginning of the pandemic, while his partner continued to work in a pharmacy, optometrist, Dan Varcoe, was left at home looking after their dog amid global uncertainty.
“I walked the dog a long, long way,” he told OT.
When the opportunity came up to begin offering a minor eye condition service (MECS), Varcoe was grateful for the opportunity to get back into a working routine and help his patients.
“We stopped patients from going to hospital at a time when the hospital really wanted to limit how many people were coming through the door,” he said.
Varcoe established Varcoe Eyecare in Saint Austell in 2019, followed by Charlestown Eyecare in 2024.
His practices are the only providers of MECS in the local area, with the nearest accredited practices located around 12 miles away in Truro. Truro is also the location of the closest hospital with an eye clinic.
“We are fairly rural so if you’re from out of town, public transport can be a problem. It can be two hours between bus services from certain villages, and the bus might not turn up,” Varcoe said.
It's much more interesting than flipping lenses and saying, ‘Is it better with one or two?’
Varcoe and the other optometrist who works for his two practices will see patients with a range of symptoms – from flashes and floaters, to red, uncomfortable eyes and blepharitis.
“Patients absolutely love the service because they are seen close to home,” he said.
“The hospital can then prioritise their time to manage people who need their help the most,” Varcoe added.
He shared that being involved in MECS also provides variety within his working week.
“It's much more interesting than flipping lenses and saying, ‘Is it better with one or two?’” Varcoe shared.
“You get to see things you might not otherwise see, and learn from those situations,” he said.
There is a mixture of new and existing patients who see Varcoe and his team for MECS services.
He observed that offering MECS can help to reinforce patient loyalty in the practice.
“Sometimes new patients stay with us because they think that we looked after them well, or they like the range of frames we have,” Varcoe said.
“MECS brings people in who may never have come to us otherwise,” he shared.
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