New groups warned of eye care demands

Picture credit: Rex Features

Incoming clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) have been warned they must invest in eye clinics to reduce the burden on other healthcare services.

An urgent letter has been posted to CCGs in England by a cross-sector group of charities and optical bodies including the College of Optometrists, the Association of Optometrists and the Association of British Dispensing Opticians.

'Failure to commission or deliver the appropriate level of care will mean people will lose their sight and place additional burden on other health and social care services,' the letter said.

It also focused on a 'dramatic rise' in demand for the eye drug Lucentis, used to treat wet AMD and now approved for patients with macular oedema caused by diabetic retinopathy. Lucentis was expected to also be approved for patients with macular oedema caused by retinal vein occlusion, the letter said, leading to an increase in demand by at least 50 per cent and up to 70 or 80 per cent in some areas. Other eye drugs were also close to approval.