Elderly in focus

Eye conditions among elderly patients have been flagged up as a clinical priority for general practitioners to prevent further health issues.

The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) will launch a three-year programme of work focusing on ageing and sight loss from April 2013. It follows a successful proposal for the scheme by the UK Vision Strategy.

Dr Waqaar Shah, RCGP ophthalmology representative, said: 'By identifying sight loss at an earlier stage GPs can prevent patients suffering from other issues such as falls and depression which have strong links with sight loss, which will significantly improve the lives of patients.'