Optometry and opportunity

The optometry sector is at a pivotal moment where system pressures within eye care are providing an opportunity for growth, as well as increased influence and clinical leadership, ophthalmologist and Newmedica medical director, Nigel Kirkpatrick, told practitioners during his Future-ready eyecare – integrated solutions for an evolving landscape presentation at 100% Optical.

“Demand is rising, the pressure is intensifying, and that means we must seize the opportunity to redesign care in ways that genuinely serve patients,” he told delegates.

Kirkpatrick explained that this opportunity is being shaped by the NHS 10-Year Health Plan, which centres on three major shifts: moving care into the community, accelerating digital transformation, and transitioning from treatment to prevention.

These shifts, he said, might present challenges, but together they also position optometry as a critical access point within an overstretched secondary care system.

The ophthalmologist described that, while waiting lists are historically high and access to primary care services such as GPs and dentistry are inconsistent, by contrast, in secondary care, optometry is relatively accessible and already embedded in community settings.

“Optometry already delivers neighbourhood-level eye care. It’s one of the few parts of the system already aligned with the direction of travel – and that’s something we should be proud of and build upon,” he said.

Acknowledging dependences on IT integration and connectivity, which he said the current system lacks, Kirkpatrick emphasised that fragmented data, siloed services and poor communication between primary and secondary care will continue to limit efficiency and patient care if it is not resolved.

“Patients are genuinely surprised” he said when noting the lack of connectivity for clinical information such as medications and medical history, across professions.

Improved data sharing, including optometrists’ access to hospital records and imaging, could significantly reduce unnecessary referrals and duplication of tasks, Kirkpatrick emphasised.

He also highlighted that early pilot schemes for data connectivity show promise, but that scaling them nationally remains a challenge.

Kirkpatrick noted that digital transformation is expected to accelerate this data and information sharing shift, with the NHS app and the proposed NHS online hospital model having the potential to reshape patient pathways and enabling triage, remote consultations, and virtual decision-making, he said.

However, he stressed that integration can only succeed if sectors share common data standards, adopt consistent testing protocols and commit to patient centred decision-making.

While the ophthalmologist believes High Street optometry could play a central role in the future delivery of eye care, he said that financial constraints and commissioning models may complicate progress, and optometrists may increasingly find themselves guiding patients through complex choices between providers and treatment options based on timelines.

Kirkpatrick recognised that clinical pathways, in particular in glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration, are already evolving into shared care models, for example, through community-based monitoring.

These developments could expand optometrists’ clinical remit, but only with appropriate training, infrastructure, and remuneration, he said.

When focusing on the future delivery of eye care, Kirkpatrick stressed, standing still is not an option.

“We cannot fail to deal with some sort of integration,” he said, adding: “Without change, disparities will widen and patient outcomes will suffer. With it, optometry could become the cornerstone of a more accessible, efficient and preventative eye care system.”