Ophthalmic Services

(asked on 2nd July 2018) - View Source

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 encourage people to visit an optician every 12 months.


Answered by
Steve Brine Portrait
Steve Brine
This question was answered on 9th July 2018

The Department is taking no steps to encourage everyone to have a sight test every 12 months as this would conflict with clinical advice. Optometrists recommend that most people should get their eyes tested every two years. However, in some circumstances, they may recommend more frequent sight tests; for example, for children who already wear glasses, those with diabetes, those aged 40 or over and who have a family history of glaucoma and all those who are aged 70 and over. This information is available on NHS Choices. Opticians are expected, and do as a matter of standard practice, advise patients on the appropriate interval before their next visit based on the clinical assessment of their individual’s needs.

Free National Health Service sight tests are available to people aged 60 and over, children under 16, those aged 16-18 in full-time education, people on low incomes and defined categories of people at particular risk of developing eye disease.

The latest figures show that in 2016/17, 13 million sight tests were carried out which is an increase of 16,000 from previous year.

Reticulating Splines