New IT links between practices and hospitals in Scotland enabling optometrists to email images of patients they suspect have serious eye problems directly and securely to hospitals are to be introduced.
The scheme, which will cost £6.6m to implement, will enable a hospital consultant to decide that day whether a patient requires a hospital appointment.
It is hoped the scheme, which is being rolled out following a successful pilot in Fife, will lead to reduced waiting times and fewer unnecessary hospital attendances and is expected to save the Scottish health service £2.75m a year.
The number of patients with wet age-related macular degeneration who can receive injections within a two-week window is also expected to increase.
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