ABDO calls for abolition of eye care postcode lottery

Action needs to be taken to ensure that patients across the UK are receiving the same routine and emergency eye care, the Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) has said.

The call to governments to take action has been made to mark the 21st anniversary of the World Health Organization’s Vision 2020 initiative, which aims to eliminate the cause of preventable blindness by 2020.

Clive Marchant, president of ABDO, said that the Scottish Government’s commitment to eye health in 2006 has revolutionised care to enable prevention and early intervention of avoidable sight loss.

‘On the anniversary of the Vision 2020 initiative it is disappointing that England, Wales and Northern Ireland are failing to follow Scotland and offer a universally NHS funded comprehensive service to catch treatable eye conditions at an early stage. Action now could not only save people’s sight but also save the NHS and Social Care significant amounts of money,’ he said.