Eye health indicator takes shape

Launching an eye health indicator was heralded as a major step forward in tackling preventable eye conditions by two public health experts.

A baseline for the indicator has been slated for this autumn, to monitor annually levels of glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy at local level.

Parul Desai, consultant in ophthalmology and public health at Moorfields Eye Hospital, told Optician it was a first step towards drilling down and assessing where work needed to be done.

‘Each indicator is multi-faceted and independent,’ she said. ‘But they are a measure of how we are doing and that in itself is a good thing.’

Desai cited advocacy from the optical profession for the inclusion of the indicator in the Department of Health’s Public Health Outcomes Framework (News 27.01.12).

‘It puts sensory impairment on the national agenda for monitoring public health and well-being,’ she added. ‘The eye health community has done this in an exemplary way. There has been a collective working together to raise the profile.’

The Department of Health’s Jazz Bhogal, who oversaw consultation for the framework, said the case for an eye health indicator stood up ‘very strongly’ during last year’s draft.

She said it would heighten awareness of preventable site loss among professional communities, and help make connections with causes of other medical conditions, including smoking and alcohol.

‘What we want to be seeing is the indicator driving commissioning decisions at the local level where eye health hasn’t been where it should be,’ she added.

Both Desai and Bhogal will be speaking at the Vision UK 2012 conference on June 12 at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London.

By Joe Ayling.