Introduction

This case study features Enhanced Optometry Services (EOS), a sister company to EyeBooked and part of the same ownership group. We initially implemented EyeBooked within EOS to rigorously test and refine the platform in a live clinical environment before wider rollout.

About Enhanced Optometry Services

Enhanced Optometry Services (EOS) is a specialist optometric services provider based in Colchester, Essex. The company has been providing specialist glaucoma clinics to the local hospital trust—East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation Trust—for several years. Starting with a single optometrist one day per week, this has expanded to four optometrists and two clinical assistants running clinics five days per week. EOS delivered around 2,000 episodes of care for the Trust in 2024, and year-to-date figures for 2025 show a 30% increase compared to the same period last year. Additionally, the company operates a high street opticians in the market town of Coggeshall.

The Challenge

With the rapid growth of our glaucoma clinics, EOS needed a reliable way to manage its appointment diary—accessible from both Colchester and Coggeshall. Both venues handle patient calls, so real-time visibility of appointment availability was critical.

We also needed a system that could automate patient communication. Patients expected printed appointment letters, similar to those they would receive from the hospital trust. Additionally, we wanted the ability to send automated appointment reminders via text messaging to reduce no-shows and ease administrative workload.

The EyeBooked Solution

To address these needs, EOS commissioned the creation of EyeBooked. From the beginning, it was designed to be universally useful—not only tailored to EOS, but also suitable for other practices.

Initially developed as an internal booking system, EyeBooked allowed shared access to appointment diaries across both locations, preventing double-booking. Integrated communication features enabled one-click appointment letter generation and hybrid mail posting, saving staff time and cost.

Text message reminders are easy to set up in EyeBooked. We currently send two: one seven days before the appointment and another 24 hours in advance. The 24-hour reminder was introduced at the end of August 2024, followed by the seven-day reminder in September. Since implementing this systematic approach, we’ve seen a notable improvement in attendance — our failure-to-attend rate dropped from 18.5% in 2024 to 14.2% in 2025 year-to-date, a 23% reduction. Prior to this, text reminders were sent manually and inconsistently. For comparison, the failure-to-attend rate in 2023 was 17.5%, highlighting the impact of consistent, automated messaging.

EyeBooked also automates feedback collection. Two days after each appointment, we send patients an anonymous NHS Friends and Family Test survey via text. The process is seamless and leverages the reminder settings already configured at the time of booking.

We implemented online appointment booking at the Coggeshall practice, which was immediately well received. Bookings were made in the first week of going live.

In 2023, we adopted EyeBooked Clinical in our Colchester practice. Coggeshall continued using its existing practice management system until EyeBooked Sales launched in 2024, at which point we transitioned fully to EyeBooked across both sites.

Key Outcomes

The Results

Adopting EyeBooked has significantly improved our clinic operations. Appointment booking and patient communication are now more efficient, staff are confident using the system, and we’ve seen a marked improvement in patient attendance and engagement. In our Coggeshall practice, EyeBooked provides excellent flexibility in managing appointments—including seamless online booking for patients.