View from the AOP: The time is ripe to push community eye health services

The strain on the NHS budget, appointment backlogs and patient concerns are rarely out of the headlines. With news last week of the backlog of 2,000 hospital eye appointments in Cornwall – there has never been a better time for both the AOP and the profession to present a united approach to this issue, focusing on how optometry is perfectly placed to provide community eye health services.

Our new policy position on community eye health services spells out how optometry can significantly reduce the load on secondary care, be more convenient for patients, provide good value for money, as well as make greater use of optometry skills. We believe optometrists are the perfect solution and optical practices can address the pressures on secondary care.