Locum optometrist Honey Rose has been sentenced to a two-year prison term, suspended for two years, after being found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence last month..
She was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of community work, by a judge at Ipswich Crown Court, following the death of eight-year-old patient Vincent Barker in July 2012.
Suffolk Police reported that Rose had carried out a routine eye test on the boy five months before his death and failed to detect swollen optic discs. He died five months later from a build-up of fluid on his brain.
Following the sentencing, Suffolk Police senior investigating officer detective superintendent Tonya Antonis said: ‘This has been a complex enquiry that initially came into police as the sudden unexplained death of a child. In these circumstances we start a full investigation to understand why that child has died and if we believe there are criminal acts involved we aim to put the facts before a court to bring those responsible to justice.
‘During the course of this enquiry we discovered that, in our view, there was a criminal case to answer, leading to Honey Rose being charged.
‘However this case was about much more than justice for Vinnie’s family.
‘Whatever the outcome of the trial it was never going to bring Vinnie back and it was never their aim to see Honey Rose imprisoned, they only want to raise awareness of the issue so that something positive can come from his death.
‘If this case makes the optometry profession reflect on their practices and review their policies to prevent it happening to anyone again, or encourages other parents to take their children to get their eyes tested with the knowledge that any serious issues would be picked up, then it will be worthwhile.’
A statement by the Association of Optometrists (AOP) said the case has had ‘devastating consequences for all involved’.
It said this was the first criminal case of its kind to involve an optometrist on clinical matters.
The AOP added that a leave of appeal was being sought by Rose, who also faces an ongoing Fitness to Practise hearing with the GOC.