Optometry must step up and help the hospital sector, says Specsavers

Demographic changes, the rising prevalence of age-related eye conditions and a paucity of ophthalmologists in the UK will make community enhanced optical services a necessity in the next few years.

Addressing the London edition of Specsavers’ Mini PAC conference last week Paul Morris, director of optometry advancement at Specsavers, said eye care practitioners needed to be ready for change and should embrace new technologies to help them take on the burden the hospital sector would increasingly struggle to cope with.

Giving examples of the seriousness of the situation Morris said some areas of the country, such as Southend, were struggling to recruit ophthalmologists. There is also a basic shortage of skilled staff he said. While the UK has two ophthalmologists for every 100,000 people other countries are better served such as Greece which has 14 ophthalmologists for the same number of population.