College maintains Amber Phase advice

The College of Optometrists has maintained its recommendation that optometrists should continue to follow its Amber Phase guidance following the commencement of a new national lockdown on January 5.

In a statement, the College explained that practitioners ‘should continue to provide needs and symptoms led primary eye care under the new restrictions, in line with all other primary health services.’

Amber Phase guidance, initially issued by the College in June 2020, permitted routine eye care to continue but specified that essential and emergency cases should be prioritised.

During the first national lockdown in March the College had recommended that practitioners follow Red Phase guidance. The College’s Covid-19 guidance stated that Red Phase guidance would be recommended when the government or health service suspended routine primary care during a full lockdown, and so stopped short of this step this time.