Child eye tests hit decade low

Eye examination rates among the under 15s have fallen to a 10 year low despite the availability of free high street testing, a leap in the number of practising optometrists and increased testing of the population in general.

Figures published by the Health & Social Care Information Centre show that in the 10 years since 2002/3 the number of NHS sight tests has risen from 9.7m to 12.3m producing a potential bill of £192m for NHS eye care services.

Take up of services has been greatest among the over 60s. That group’s proportion of tests rose from 42.8 per cent of the total to 44.4 per cent. The proportion taken by children in the zero to 15 years age group dropped from 23.6 per cent to 19 per cent, students, 16-18, fell from 4.9 per cent to 4.4 per cent. Tests among those registered as blind or partially sighted halved from 0.2 to 0.1 per cent of the total.