A week of news - common sense prevails

There was a healthy dose of common sense running through this week's news and evidence that a pro-active response to eye care benefits all.

Firstly, Scotland's commitment to offering free eye tests to all - at a fair rate for optometrists - has resulted in a 6 per cent rise in NHS patients. This increased care can only result in improved eye health.

Meanwhile, the importance of robust care was underlined by a large-scale US study at the University of California that confirmed the correlation between access to cataract surgery and a lower incidence of hip fractures among the elderly.