Sight tests up but vouchers down

The statistics, which cover the period April to September 2000, revealed that 5,157,000 sight tests were paid for by HAs in England and Wales in the period April to September 2000. This was 2 per cent more than the total for the period October 1999 to March 2000 (5,039,000) and 3 per cent more than in the period April to September 1999 (4,992,000). Vouchers for 1,943,000 pairs of spectacles were reimbursed by HAs in England and Wales in the period April to September 2000. This was the same as in October 1999 to March 2000 (1,943,000) but 3 per cent less than in the period April to September 1999 (1,994,000). Eligibility for NHS sight tests was extended to all those aged 60 or over from April 1 1999. There is an average lag of about a month between sight tests performed and payment, so figures for April to September 1999 include only the first five months of sight tests for the additional patients aged 60+.