13 October 2026
An analysis of how integrated care boards (ICBs) in England are utilising eye care and the results of a national survey into patient experiences will be highlighted at Westminster Eye Health Day 2026 (Tuesday 27 October).
The annual event, which focuses on the future of eye health and care in the UK, will be hosted by Marsha de Cordova MP and will take place from 1pm to 3.30pm in the Palace of Westminster.
During the event, parliamentarians, policymakers and community representatives will hear from The Eyes Have It partners on the results of a national survey into the eye care experiences of patients in England.
The Eyes Have It is the lobbying group for eye health in the Westminster parliament, and is made up of representatives from the AOP, the Macular Society, Fight for Sight, the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), and Roche Products Ltd. Roche funds the activities of the partnership.
Analysis of a study into ICBs, which aims to identify how well eye care is being prioritised within local health systems across England, will also be shared.
Attendees will receive insight into patient experiences of eye care services and where improvements are most needed, gain an understanding of how eye care services are being planned and delivered across England, including the variation that exists between local systems, and have the opportunity to discuss potential collaborations and action to improve access to timely care and prevent avoidable sight loss, The Eyes Have It said. Optometrists are encouraged to ask their MPs to attend.
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Adam Sampson, AOP Chief Executive said: “This is a pivotal moment for healthcare reform, and for eye care. The Eyes Have It partnership gives us a valuable platform to make the case for optometry’s role in delivering the Government’s ambitions for neighbourhood care.
“Patients can only get timely eye care if the right pathways are in place, services are properly planned and we make full use of the skilled workforce already in our communities. Yet access still varies widely across England, [and] one in four people can’t get services that treat common eye conditions. We must keep showing politicians and policy makers what that means in practice.”
Sampson added: “At Labour conference this year, we spoke to Dame Diana Johnson about how the postcode lottery in eye care is piling avoidable pressure on the NHS and leading to poorer outcomes for patients.
“Stronger national direction and consistent commissioning, as set out in our Eye care everywhere campaign, would cut waiting times and make fair access to eye care a reality. If Labour wants to deliver real change in the NHS, community optometry has to be part of the answer.”
The Eyes Have It works with patient and professional organisations, clinicians, NHS leaders and industry to better understand the barriers facing eye care services, identify examples of good practice, and generate the evidence needed to support meaningful improvement across the system.
It has run Westminster Eye Health Day annually since its formation in 2022.
De Cordova is MP for Battersea, and the chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Eye Health and Visual Impairment.
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