Chris Bennett: Blind to true cost of cutting suggestion

Sexing up optometry now looks more important than ever in the light of the latest attack from MP Dominic Raab.

In a pre-Budget teaser last week the member for Esher and Walton highlighted the billions of pounds that could be saved by the Exchequer if generous universal benefits were removed from the well-heeled elderly of the land (see In Focus).

Outlining the kind of money-saving, low-hanging fruit the chancellor might pick and pop into the savings side of his little red box, Raab happened upon the example of universal free eye examinations for the elderly. Clearly free eye examinations are viewed as a little luxury lavished on the elderly as a gesture of goodwill. Although the hotly-tipped Tory was recently reshuffled to the back benches by the Prime Minister he is a political force of the future. The fact he chose optometry as an example of an obvious budget cut is a disaster for the profession and the optical business.