25 September 2025
The vital role of community optometry in improving access to care was highlighted during a National Eye Health Week event at Stormont on Tuesday 23 September.
Representatives from Optometry Northern Ireland were joined by Northern Ireland Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt, and Permanent Secretary, Mike Farrar, at the event.
The event sought to demonstrate the importance of community optometry in shaping the future of eye care in Northern Ireland.
It came in the context of a growing eye care crisis in the region, which has seen delays to care due to an increasing demand for eye care from an ageing and rural population.
Speaking at the event, Farrar said: “The Department of Health is committed to making it easier for patients to access the care they need. Community optometry shows how services delivered closer to home can detect problems early, reduce waiting lists, and ease pressure on hospitals, all while improving outcomes for patients.”
The Department of Health’s “reset agenda” includes building services that are sustainable, patient-centred, and responsive to need, Farrar said.
It also emphasises the importance of prevention and early intervention.
“That means shifting more care into the community, where it can be delivered quickly and effectively,” Farrar noted.
He added: “The focus is on rebalancing the health and social care system so that care is delivered closer to home, hospitals are used for those who need them most, and services are planned for long-term sustainability.”
Farrar thanked the 700 community ophthalmic practitioners who currently work in Northern Ireland, calling them “highly skilled, local, and ready to help.”
He also noted that 95% of the population of Northern Ireland live within five miles of an optometry practice.
Success demonstrated by PEARS Plus
An example of best practice discussed during the event was the PEARS Plus pilot, which has seen 89% of acute eye conditions treated in the community, meaning quicker access to care for patients and monetary savings for the health service.
Dr Peter Hampson, AOP clinical and policy director, also attended the Stormont event.
Hampson said: “It was our pleasure to attend this event, organised by Optometry Northern Ireland, where they presented clear evidence about the effectiveness of PEARS Plus.
“This work aligns closely with the co-commissioned PA report that we published last year, and shows how optometry can help to solve the challenges faced by ophthalmology, both in terms of constrained finances, but more importantly by providing invaluable capacity for patients.”
He added: “It was heartening to see officials in Northern Ireland demonstrating public support for fully utilising the skills of optometrist – this is a welcome and important step, and we look forward to seeing how this service hopefully evolves and rolls out."
The Department of Health will continue to work with partners to expand community-based services, support new models of care, and invest in the workforce, Farrar said.
“Learning from existing eye care service reform at a system level, we can ensure a health system that is safe, high-quality, and sustainable for patients now and for generations to come,” he added.
Giant pair of spectacles crossing Northern Ireland in fundraising and awareness drive
Optometry Northern Ireland is hoping to take the spectacles to every practice in the nation ahead of National Eye Health Week
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