Policy briefing: GOC’s public perceptions research

What has been announced?

The GOC has published the 2026 version of its public perception research exploring the public’s views and experiences of using eye care services across the UK.

It reports overall public confidence with eye care services remains high at 94% with an improvement on last year (93%), and satisfaction scores rose from 87% in 2025 to 89% in 2026.

Despite this, the GOC work showed that some more vulnerable patient groups and especially those with multiple challenges reported lower levels of satisfaction and confidence. These patients included those with disability, those who are on low income, or were going through difficult life circumstances reporting lower confidence at 82%, compared to 97% for patients outside of these groups.

The research showed that access to eye care had increased, with 84% of patients reporting having had a sight test or eye examination in the last two years.

The GOC reported that the patient groups with multiple challenges are less likely to have had a recent sight test, with 14% reporting their last sight test as being more than five years ago compared to 7% on average.

Patients not in work and on an income of less than £20,000 were also less likely to have had a sight test in the last two years, with 20% of those living in the most deprived areas reporting they had not had a sight test in the last two years.

Overall, those uncomfortable with visiting a practice rose from 49% in 2025 to 53% in 2026.

The GOC press release states that: “Cost is still putting people off seeking care”. Amongst those who are uncomfortable about visiting an opticians/optometrist practice, the cost of glasses or contact lenses was cited by 21% of people as a reason for not attending for regular sight tests, with 15% saying the cost of sight tests or examinations was the reason. Amongst those who have not had a sight test in the last two years those numbers were higher at 24% and 19% respectively.

Patients who had not had a sight test in the last two years stated in 41% of cases that they “weren’t experiencing” any issues with their eyes, and in 36% of cases that they “just didn’t think about it”. Alongside this, 90% of respondents reported that they were “confident” in managing their own eye health with 38% saying they are “very confident”.

There was an increase in the number of patients who said they would visit an opticians/optometrist practice in the event of an eye problem at 41% up from 36%.

However, 30% of patients said they would not visit an opticians/optometrist practice as the first port of call if they had an eye problem, citing the lack of same day appointments as the reason.

What do we say

It is good news to hear that patients are increasingly confident with eye care services and that satisfaction remains extremely high. This is a testament to the skills and training of UK optometrists, dispensing opticians and the practice team, and reinforces what a good job the profession is doing to look after the eye health of their patients.

However, it is disappointing that despite an increase in the number of patients who would think to visit their optometrist for an eye problem, only 41% of patients consider optometry to be their ‘first port of call’. This UK-wide statistic masks significant differences across the UK nations.

In Wales, 60% of patients would consider optometry the correct destination, while in Scotland and Northern Ireland it is 50% and 47% respectively. This divergence is interesting; it can be easy to think that universal access improves patient uptake, but while Scotland has the widest access to state funded eye care of all the UK nations patients’ perceived awareness in Scotland is lower than in Wales.

The recent contract reforms in Wales may be the key here; not because access is better, but that the immediacy and visibility of the service mean that patients more clearly understand what optometry can offer. As such, it appears that service provision is only half of the challenge and greater visibility of the range of services optometry can offer is essential if we are to transform care.

For practices in England, our view is that as long as they cannot universally offer minor and urgent eye condition appointments outside of the sight test, it will be difficult to raise public awareness. As we have reported and continue to campaign on, currently around 75% of England has access to these services, but in around 25% there is no provision creating a postcode lottery of care.

In the GOC research, around a quarter of those surveyed still viewed their GP as the correct destination if they had an eye problem. Our GP colleagues have been clear about the challenges they face with rising patient numbers and complexity of the patients they see. When it comes to eye-related issues, we argue that they are not best placed, nor best equipped, to help these patients.

The same applies to pharmacy; pharmacists do not have access to the equipment and do not receive the training to deal with most eye problems, and these problems can be seen more efficiently within an optometry practice. As such, we contend that adding eye problems to the list of health problems for Pharmacy First to manage is a misstep. Pharmacy First can and does help many patients access care closer to home; however for eye-related issues, patients should be directed towards optometry services where they can access the specialist services and diagnostic services required to safely manage their eye problem.

We recognise a recurring theme throughout the GOC research piece: there is a need for better public awareness, both around what optometry can offer, but also about the importance of regular eye examinations. More must be done, as symptomless conditions such as glaucoma have not yet reached true public awareness.

Finally, the research raises questions about cost perception and associated messaging. All parts of the UK have NHS sight testing, and in Scotland all NHS eye examinations are state funded. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, sight testing is state funded for at risk groups such as the over 60s and for those on means tested benefits. Enhanced services designed to provide eye care beyond the sight test are, where commissioned, free at the point of service to be in line with all NHS funded care.

The GOC data talks to the sample size and methodology used, but it may be that the cost perception of respondents points to the skew of those who responded. The survey data states that 54% of respondents paid for their own sight test or eye examination, with only 33% receiving an NHS-funded examination. However, in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, around 70% of sight tests are NHS funded. In Scotland this is approaching 100%. This raises questions about how these cost findings can be generalised to the wider population and if the perceptions of cost are being framed by the cohort who are most likely to be required to self-fund at least some of their care.

There are other anomalies in the GOC survey. For example, 15% of those surveyed reported their last examination was in a hospital. Given that most hospital examinations are related to specific eye conditions and therefore differ to the range of examinations conducted in optometry practices, it seems odd that this cohort were included rather than excluded.

We also note that the GOC references its ongoing thematic review into commercial practices.

What are we calling for?

The research suggests there is gap between what optometrists and dispensing opticians can deliver and what the public are aware that they can deliver. While this could be closed via better public awareness, that will only be effective if services are universally available. That is why the AOP is calling for universal access to minor and urgent eye care services across England via our Eye Care Everywhere campaign, and that this should be supported by national public awareness messaging so patients know when and how to access optometry as the first port of call for eye health problems.

This approach remains consistent with the Government's aim as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, deflecting pressure away from hospitals, bringing care closer to home in the community (the so-called ‘left shift’), and building the foundations (via the sight test) for a prevention-led approach.