Eyesight: Health Services

(asked on 26th January 2023) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to help improve eye health in the UK.


Answered by
Neil O'Brien Portrait
Neil O'Brien
This question was answered on 6th February 2023

Health is a devolved matter. Access to regular sight tests is critical for eye health and early detection and access to treatments to prevent sight loss. In England, many people qualify for a free eye test and optical vouchers to contribute towards the cost of glasses, with over 12 million National Health Service sight tests provided in England in 2021/22.

Diabetic Retinopathy screening is also offered annually to individuals aged 12 or over with diabetes and the Government has well established programmes on reducing smoking and obesity, both long terms risk factors for sight loss. Furthermore, the National Institute for Health and Care Research has invested over £100 million over the last five years to support research into diagnosis, prevention and treatment of eye conditions.

NHS England’s transformation programme is also considering how eye care services should be commissioned for the future to improve access to care and patient outcomes.

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