Echoes of the Past: NHS eye tests in the 70s

Echoes of the Past this week concentrates on the number of NHS eye tests being carried out in the seventies.

According to a news focus page from The Optician issue from October 17, 1975, General Ophthalmic Services were on the rise along with medical, pharmaceutical and dental health care.

Indeed, optics was worth £36m during the 1974/75 period – representing a 17 per cent leap compared to the prior year.

GOS sight test numbers increased from 6.89 million in 1973 to 7.07 million the following year. This has more than doubled since according

to NHS eye test numbers provided by the Department