Emergency Department

Contacting the Emergency Department

Referral and €100 Levy

Patients attending without a referral from a GP or Optician are subject to a €100 government levy unless they present a valid medical card.

Payment Methods

Payment can be made using cash, card, cheque, or medical card. Please present your medical card on the day of your visit to A&E.

30-Day Policy

You will be charged €100 on your first visit to the emergency department. If you have to return for repeat visits within 30 days, you will not be charged an additional fee.

Non-Urgent Conditions

Please contact your GP or Optician before reaching out to the emergency department. Your GP or Optician can refer you by sending a referral via Healthlink or by emailing it to ed.reception@rveeh.ie. Ensure your correct mobile or landline phone number is included in the referral.

• • You will be contacted on the same day if the referral is received before 5 PM, or the next morning if after 5 PM.
  • If you do not receive a call, please contact us at 01-6644600.

Eye Emergencies

If you have an eye emergency and cannot attend your GP or Optician you can be triaged over the phone by a member of the team and advised or provided with an appointment time to attend: 8-5pm Mon-Fri  and 9-5pm Saturday & Sunday.
After hours 5pm – 8am requires a doctor-to-doctor referral.

To speak with a member of the triage team please call: 01-6644600 and press option 1 for the Emergency Department.

Chemical Injuries / Penetrating Eye Injuries / Bleeding:

If you arrive at the hospital with these serious conditions, please alert security staff immediately to prioritize care.

Ophthalmic Phone Triage Hours

• Monday – Friday: 8 AM – 5 PM
• Saturday – Sunday: 9 AM – 5 PM

Post-Operative Urgent Advice

For patients who have had recent eye surgeries (within the last month) and need urgent advice outside of regular hours, please call 01-6644600 and ask to speak with the nurse in charge

Out-of-Hours Eye Emergencies

• Northside: Call D-DOC at 1850 22 44 77
• Southside: Call EDOC at 01-2234500
• Alternatively, attend your nearest emergency department.
• Patients can be accepted outside of the above hours by doctor-to-doctor agreement only.
  Please ask your doctor to contact the Ophthalmologist on call on 01-6644600 for urgent advice.

Pediatric Patients

There is no age limit for Ophthalmology patients; however, younger children may be better served in a pediatric setting (for example, neonatal cases should be referred back to a neonatal service). Children under 16 years must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

GP Liaison

As of Thursday 13/03/2025 the GP Liaison service is currently unavailable.
For Doctor-to-Doctor communication please call 01 6644600
GP referral to EYE or ENT A&E is via HealthLink or ed.reception@rveeh.ie

Community Ophthalmology Services

Vista Eye Clinics

• 22-26 Sandford Road, Ranelagh, Dublin 6. Phone: 01-4986920
• Primary Care Centre, Ballymore Eustace Road, Naas, Co. Kildare. Phone: 045-881000
• Website: www.vistaeyeclinic.com

Medical Optics

• 2-3 Castle Street, Bray, Co. Wicklow. Phone: 01-2828065
• Fairview, Dublin 3. Phone: 01-8057076
• Website: www.medicaloptics.ie

Contacting the ENT Emergency Department

Referral Required

A GP referral via Healthlink or email to ed.reception@rveeh.ie is required for ENT emergency consultations.

Emergency healthcare phone number

01-6644600
A member of the ENT Medical team will phone you back.

Opening Hours

• Monday – Friday: 9 AM – 4 PM
• Closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and Bank Holidays

Conditions Treated

The RVEEH ENT ED is a dedicated specialist service for patients over the age of 14 years old with urgent ENT conditions. The service is designed to treat patients with acute ENT conditions as outlined below:

1.  Acute bleeding from the ear, nose, or throat
2. Acute ear infections (e.g., otitis externa)
3. Acute tonsil abscess or quinsy
4. Acute hearing loss

Patients with symptoms suspicious of Head and Neck Malignancy will be seen, assessed and referred, as appropriate, to a dedicated Head and Neck consultant.

Non-Urgent ENT Services

Patients with non-urgent ENT conditions should be referred to an ENT OPD by their GP.

Pediatric Patients

Patients under 14 years old must be referred to a pediatric hospital for ENT assessment.

Services Not Provided

The ENT department does not offer an earwax removal service. Patients requiring this service should seek alternative providers.

ED Nurse-Led Micro-Suction Clinic

For ear conditions requiring micro-suction, a Nurse-Led Micro-Suction Clinic is available in the Emergency Department on Tuesdays and Fridays from 9 AM to 1 PM.