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Prescription Only Medicines (POM's)

Registered optometrists
Provided it is in the course of their professional practice registered optometrists may sell or supply the following medicinal products to a patient:
  • All medicinal products on a General Sale List (Note: Under medicines  legislation products which are for use as eye drops or eye ointments are excluded from the GSL category.); and
       
  • All P medicines .
Provided it is in the course of their professional practice and in an emergency registered optometrists may sell or supply:         

POMs which are not for parenteral administration and which:
a. are eye drops and contain not more than 0.5 per cent chloramphenicol or
b. are eye ointments and contain not more than 1 per cent chloramphenicol 
c. contain the following substances:
     Cyclopentolate hydrochloride
     Fusidic Acid
     Tropicamide
 
Additional supply optometrists
In addition to being able to access the medicines listed above those optometrists who have undergone additional training and are accredited by the General Optical Council (“additional supply optometrists”) will be able to sell supply or write an order for an extended range of medicines. 
 
Further details can be found on the www.mhra.gov.uk website.
Zaditen Eye Drops 5ml (POM)
CODE: ZAD
Generic Ingredient(s): Ketotifen Legal Class: POM Drug Class: Antihistamines and anti-inflammatories
How Supplied: Ketotifen
Indications: Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis.
Adult Dose: 1 drop in affected eye(s) twice daily.
Child Dose: Under 3 years, not recommended; over 3 years, 1 drop in affected eye(s) twice daily.
Voltarol Ophtha Multidose 0.1% 5ml (POM)
CODE: VOLOPH
Generic Ingredient(s): Diclofenac Legal Class: POM Drug Class: NSAIDs
How Supplied: Diclofenac sodium
Indications: Inhibition of miosis in cataract surgery, post-op. inflammation, pain and discomfort associated with corneal epithelial defects after PRK surgery, accidental trauma, strabismus surgery, radial keratotomy or after argon laser trabeculoplasty. Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis.
Adult and Child Dose: See SPC.

Voltarol Ophtha 40 x 0.3ml (POM)
CODE: VOL40
Generic Ingredient(s): Diclofenac Legal Class: POM Drug Class: NSAIDs
How Supplied: Diclofenac sodium
Indications: Inhibition of miosis in cataract surgery, post-op. inflammation, pain and discomfort associated with corneal epithelial defects after PRK surgery, accidental trauma, strabismus surgery, radial keratotomy or after argon laser trabeculoplasty. Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis.
Adult and Child Dose: See SPC.

Voltarol Ophtha 5 x 0.3ml (POM)
CODE: VOL5
Generic Ingredient(s): Diclofenac Legal Class: POM Drug Class: NSAIDs
How Supplied: Diclofenac sodium
Indications: Inhibition of miosis in cataract surgery, post-op. inflammation, pain and discomfort associated with corneal epithelial defects after PRK surgery, accidental trauma, strabismus surgery, radial keratotomy or after argon laser trabeculoplasty. Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis.
Adult and Child Dose: See SPC.

Virgan Eye Gel 5g
CODE: VEG
Virgan, Ganciclovir 0.15% eye Ointment 5g for Herpes Simplex Virus. Category POM.