This year's National Eye Health Week (NEHW) will take place from 24 to 30 September 2018, promoting the importance of eye health and the need for regular sight tests for all. To find out more please visit the Vision Matters website.
Peter Hand, Chairman of the Conservative Disability Group said “The CDG welcomes National Eye Health Week 2018 and believes it is an important opportunity to promote the nation’s eye health. There are 2 million people in the UK are living with sight loss, that is severe enough to have a significant impact on their daily lives. Half of this sight loss is avoidable.”
A sight test can detect early signs of conditions like glaucoma, which can be treated if found soon enough. During a sight test, other health conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure may be detected.
Richard Holmes, RNIB’s Parliamentary & Public Affairs Manager, said “National Eye Health Week is a very important opportunity for decision makers and indeed the public as a whole to consider their and the nation's eye health. This year's is especially timely coming as it does shortly after an important report has been published by the All Party Group on Eye Health and Visual Impairment.”
“The report focusses on capacity problems in eye care services and makes 16 recommendations as to how the current situation could be improved. In particular including eye health in the NHS mandate which means raising the profile of the issue and it being more closely measured and monitored. At a local level the Group call for eye health to be given much greater priority in the 44 Sustainability and Transformation Plans.”
Over a hundred organisations submitted evidence and the Inquiry heard from more than 550 patients. An Expert Advisory Group including patients volunteering with the Macular Society, International Glaucoma Association (IGA) and RNIB, representatives from the College of Optometrists, Optical Confederation, Royal College of Ophthalmologists, Birmingham Focus, Vision UK and NHS Alliance provided advice and guidance about the analysis of the evidence and the development of recommendations.
More information on the report can be accessed using the link here: