A partially-sighted woman was "horrified" when she couldn't book a routine appointment at Ipswich Hospital for her glaucoma, an eye condition that could lead to blindness.

Jennifer Knights, from Woodbridge, was told that there was a year-long waiting list after contacting the hospital.

The routine appointments check if there has been any deterioration in the condition, which affects the optic nerve connecting the eye and the brain.

The former nurse said times between appointments have been gradually increasing, with first being seen in three-month intervals, and then six-month intervals.

When she tried to make an appointment recently, after last being seen in March, she was told that she couldn't be seen.

Mrs Knights said: "They can't book me in. I was horrified. I was so taken aback. I know with glaucoma, if it is not treated, people go blind.

"I didn't understand why they are as they are. The waiting list is long. These are clinical appointments for existing conditions that could deteriorate. I was so incensed.

"It is a concern. If the pressure goes up, it has to come down otherwise there are problems.

"I was told that if anything changes, I could get an emergency appointment, but you can't examine your own eye."

She added that sight loss "affects your whole life".

Rob Power, associate director of operations at MSK and special surgery, at the trust that runs Ipswich Hospital, said: “Glaucoma patients are currently seen for their first appointment within six weeks at Ipswich, but if they are clinically urgent are seen sooner.

“Not all patients will require surgery and may just be monitored within a time frame which is dependent on the severity of their condition. For some patients this may be within four months, but for more routine cases this can be a longer timeframe and up to twelve months if considered appropriate.

“We are always working hard to develop and expand our services to accommodate as many patients as possible while minimising any waiting times.

"We have recently recruited more doctors which will mean more follow-up patients can be seen in the Hospital Eye Service.”