Efforts to secure further reassurances from Westminster on the future of General Ophthalmic Services will take place later this month.
New amendments to the Health Bill will be tabled at its grand committee stage in the House of Lords on April 20 or 24 - including restoring an NHS sight test to the whole population, ensuring all children have an eye examination before they start primary school, and lay a duty on PCTs to promote the health benefits of regular sight testing.
A number of peers are backing the amendments to clauses 36-42, which also includes introducing to England the Primary Eyecare Acute Referral Scheme (PEARS) currently used in Wales, and a change to ensure that services for the monitoring and treatment of glaucoma are 'enshrined as advanced services'.
In a briefing document produced by the optical bodies this latter amendment is also aimed at removing contractual constraints preventing optometrists from providing a referral refinement service.
It is, however, unlikely that all or any of the amendments will eventually become law, and the purpose behind their proposal is to get issues debated and reassurances made by government.
Last month (News, March 17) peers heard of the importance of domiciliary eye care at a special briefing hosted by the profession at the House of Commons.
The discussion, which centred on the lack of provision for the housebound, has led to two peers who attended tabling an amendment seeking to ensure 'proper domiciliary eye care provision is made for people who are unable to leave their homes'.