More than two million people live with serious eye conditions
Charities and businesses which are focused on vision based issues have teamed up with sight experts to call for a nationwide plan to be adopted to try to tackle surging patient demand for eye care services.
‘The Eyes Have It’ alliance has been formed between the Macular Society, Fight for Sight / Vision Foundation, Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), Association of Optometrists, The Royal College of Ophthalmologists and Roche Products Ltd.
Their report, Laying the foundations for the future of eye health in England, identifies critical areas in need of attention in light of surging demand for eye health services on the NHS to prevent life changing sight loss.
Lord Blunkett is backing the new report and is calling for a national plan to support millions of people living with conditions that cause sight loss.
It comes after Westminster has marked its third annual Eye Health Day which took place at the start of the week. The alliance aims to keep its report at the forefront of politicians’ thinking to ensure a spotlight remains on eye health – and barriers to care.
The alliance points to more than 2.2 million people living with conditions that cause sight loss.
It adds that, in September, there were more than 640,000 people waiting to start specialist sight treatment in England. The report’s findings show ophthalmology is one of the largest contributors to NHS waiting lists.
By 2050, it’s estimated that four million people in the UK are expected to be living with sight loss. The costs of sight loss to the UK economy are expected to rise to at least £33.5 billion per year.
Eye care is the busiest outpatient speciality in the NHS in England
The alliance highlights how eye care is the busiest outpatient specialty in the NHS in England. It says demand for eye care services is likely to grow as demographic changes mean more people are living with conditions which cause sight loss.
‘I welcome this foundation report which sets out the blueprint to deliver access to eyecare for everyone, when and where they need it,’ says Marsha de Cordova MP for Battersea and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Eye Health and Vision Impairment.
‘Also, for what best practice should look like and the urgent need for the government to commit to my national eye health strategy for England.’
‘By taking coordinated action across each of the priority areas outlined in the report, I believe we can make the eye health system fit for purpose.’
‘I thank the members of The Eyes Have It for their tireless efforts and commitment to improving eye care.’
The new report is entitled ‘Laying the foundations for the future of eye health in England.’
It highlights key issues facing people affected by sight loss and identifies 14 recommendations, including the usage of new technologies and investment into research.
It calls for people living with sight threatening conditions to be supported by specialist Eye Care Liaison Officers. The alliance is calling for a doubling in funding for eye care research.
The alliance says the government needs to ‘develop a much-needed national eye care plan for England, and coordinated action across the four nations to ensure that people living with conditions that cause sight loss receive the best care possible.’
