Modern day optometry needs to focus on the link between eye health messages and broader public health issues such as smoking, falls and dementia, a meeting organised by the College of Optometrists has concluded.
A roundtable discussion involving representatives from across the eye health sector tackled the importance of ophthalmic public health last week, following a similar meeting last year.
They debated what more should be done to address the ophthalmic health needs of the poorest and to promote the importance of eye health among healthcare professionals and commissioners.
College president Kamlesh Chauhan said 'significant progress' had been made since an earlier meeting this time last year. 'For example, thanks to the College's Public Health Data project we now have a much clearer view of the eye health data available,' he added. 'However we also agreed that more needs to be done, for example linking eye health messages to broader public health issues such as smoking, falls and dementia, collecting additional data and embedding public health education in optometry training.'
The roundtable was attended by 30 representatives from organisations including the Optical Confederation, RNIB, LOCSU, UK Vision Strategy, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists and the General Optical Council.
The importance of engaging with new health and wellbeing boards was also discussed.
Anita Lightstone, UK Vision Strategy programme director, said: 'The importance of working collaboratively and approaching commissioners and government with a unified voice cannot be underestimated. It is thanks to this approach that we have achieved the inclusion of preventable sight loss as a key health indicator in the Department of Health's Public Health Outcomes framework, which I believe is a real breakthrough for eye health.'