In Focus: Healthwatch advocates for improved low-income eye care

Healthwatch England called for an investigation into eye care support to prevent additional costs from deterring low-income households visiting opticians for regular checkups, following a survey revealing the high impact of costs.  

While a healthy two thirds (69%) of respondents had attended an eye test in the last two years, 23% of those that hadn’t named financial constraints as their main reason – and almost three quarters (72%) of those who did attend felt pressured to get additional products or services.  

Louise Ansari, chief executive of Healthwatch England, commented: ‘Regular visits to the optician are essential to help keep your eyes healthy and identify any issues. However, there are clear signs that the extra costs people face could discourage those struggling financially from visiting opticians.’