Optician news in brief

A US study on eye disease prevalence reported a 23 per cent increase in the number of over 40s with vision impairment and blindness since the turn of the millennium. The Vision Problems in the US report, released by Prevent Blindness America and the National Eye Institute, found a 19 per cent increase in cataracts, 22 per cent increase in glaucoma and 89 per cent increase in diabetic retinopathy. Late AMD among patients over 50 was up 25 per cent.

Sponsorship of international pre-registration optometrists has been approved after the College of Optometrists was granted a licence by the UK Border Agency this week. The College applied for the licence as a result of changes preventing non-European Economic Area students from completing their pre-registration period (News 27.04.12). The College said the fee per trainee would be £500, to cover the cost of administering the scheme.