Fears over cuts to eye health service funding

Serious concerns about cuts in funding for eye health services and social care were voiced at the Vision UK 2010 conference last week.

Chief executive of the Royal National Institute of Blind People Lesley-Anne Alexander revealed there were 'huge concerns' about the future. 'The challenging economic and political landscape has thrust us all into unknown territory. The health, social care and voluntary sectors have had to pick up the pieces.'

Speaking ahead of Tuesday's emergency Budget, Alexander warned: 'The public spending cuts that are coming are going to overshadow anything that we're already experiencing. We need to be even better at working together with like-minded organisations.' Eye health had an absolute right to be centre stage, she added.