Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will introduce a national eye health strategy to address the increase in the level of sight-threatening conditions.

The Government takes sight loss very seriously. The Public Health Outcomes Framework includes an indicator that tracks the rate of reported sight loss (measured through the number of new certifications of visual impairment rate per 100,000 population) including the rates for the three main causes of preventable sight loss - glaucoma, age related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. The Department also supports Vision UK, an umbrella organisation for the eye health and sight loss sector, which aims to improve eye health and end sight loss, improve support across eye health and social care services and improve awareness of sight loss.

Given the size of England, and the diversity of the health needs of different communities, we believe commissioning needs to be owned and managed locally and there are therefore no plans to introduce a national eye health strategy.