Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of people with sight loss.

The reasons for sight loss are multiple. They include lifestyle factors such as smoking and obesity as well as medical conditions. Prevention and early detection, along with access to timely treatment are all therefore important. On reduction of smoking and obesity, both key long terms risk factors for vision loss, the Government has well established programmes.

Action is also being taken to reduce sight loss caused by medical conditions. On diabetic retinopathy, a common complication of diabetes which can lead to sight loss, a diabetic retinopathy screening programme led by Public Health England offered screening to 2.4 million eligible people in 2015/16.

Early detection is also key and free National Health Service sight tests are available to those at increased risk of eye disease or likely to be deterred from seeking private tests on grounds of cost.