Eye Care
Eye care is currently delivered by some 15,000 optometrists and dispensing opticians operating in over 7000 practices ranging from major high street companies to smaller independent providers, as well as in hospital eye departments. They are regulated by the General Optical Council to ensure patient safety and high standards of patient care.
Optometrists working in primary care – that is in high street practices – are not employed by the NHS. While they may provide services to the NHS as contractors, they are – or are employed by – private businesses. Most optometrists carry out Sight Tests on behalf of the NHS to eligible patients and privately to others.
The Sight Test, the purpose of which is defined in law, is often the gateway to primary eye care for patients. Many categories of patients are entitled to have their sight test funded by the NHS; for example, children under 16 (or under 19 if in full time education), all those over the age of 60, people on income support, diabetics, relatives of glaucoma sufferers. The fee for the NHS Sight Test (often called the “GOS sight test” (General Ophthalmic Services) is centrally funded and centrally negotiated.
Many optometrists also provide other services to the NHS and its patients, through local arrangements agreed with Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), Local Health Boards (LHBs) and other primary care organisations. These services may include monitoring of diabetics, glaucoma sufferers and patients with cataract; screening for Age Related Macular Degeneration; Low Vision work; specialist children’s Eyecare. Such agreements are separate from GOS.
GOS is a public service delivered by private contractors closely and carefully regulated to ensure safety. For a relatively low level of public investment (£320m), NHS patients benefit from a highly competitive market for spectacles, contact lenses and accessible services. They have genuine choice and can choose any provider to meet their needs. As a result the optical sector embodies the Government’s aim of health care which is “fair to all...and individual to each”.
Providers often offer same-day appointments – some open seven days a week and for extended hours – and many offer same-day supply of finished spectacles.
Eye Health
Optometrists are eye health professionals and the services they provide are far wider than a simple test to determine whether spectacles or contact lenses are required to correct vision. An eye test is not just about getting a pair of glasses – it is a vital health check for your eyes.
A sight test includes (by regulation) a number of other health tests. Many conditions can be detected: glaucoma, cataract, diabetes, age-related macular degeneration (the commonest cause of blindness in the UK), some forms of cancer, as well as some conditions not usually associated with eyes (e.g. high blood pressure).
