Paul Alexander
05 August 2024
The AOP is launching a short animation to explain to the public how optometrists support people throughout their lives. The 60-second animation, which will be publicised through social media, delivers quick and simple messages about the importance of getting a sight test, and the health benefits of regular eye examinations.
It will be supported by web pages for patients, explaining key facts about eye health and care, and encouraging them to use the full range of services that optometrists offer.
We know that many members of the public still do not understand the health role of optometrists. Many see their High Street practice as a retailer, not a health care provider. The animation emphasises the health aspect of optometrists’ work, while also explaining the key role that dispensing plays in helping people get the most out of their sight, and their lives.
The messages illustrate the importance of detecting refractive error as early as possible in a child’s life. It also touches on looking after your sight throughout your life. The web pages supporting the animation provide advice on keeping your eyes healthy, such as UV protection, safe use of contact lenses, and giving up smoking.
They also refer to eye disease and problems that occur, particularly in older age. Our ageing population means that there will be more eye disease, more pressure on hospitals, and a greater role for optometrists in identifying disease, referring patients, and supporting them through disease and potentially sight loss.
The AOP’s patient leaflets are produced mainly for our members to hand out to their patients. But we have found that many members of the public access them from our website directly. This demonstrates the public demand for good quality information, and gives us an opportunity to amplify the role that optometrists play.
The animation touches on eye care issues from pregnancy and birth right through to older age, highlighting how optometrists enable people to live fully active lives, as well as how they identify eye disease and support people with eye issues.
We look at five key stages of life:
- Pregnancy and childbirth: the eye issues that expectant mothers might experience, what they should expect after their baby is born, and how to spot eye problems early on
- Early years and school age: emphasising the importance of checking children’s eyes early, and ensuring they get the right prescription as soon as possible
- Young adulthood: underlining the point at which young people need to start looking after their own health, and the financial help still available to most young adults
- Working age: covering the help available to get the right eyewear for work, and explaining the value of getting the right eyewear for hobbies and sports
- Older age: showing how an active and rewarding older age can be facilitated by good eyewear, as well as talking about the eye diseases that might come at that time of life.
In addition to eye health-related information, the resources include advice on areas such as accessibility and financial support. Our research shows that many people put off attending their optometrist because they fear the expense that could result. Therefore, we are highlighting the financial support available in the four nations. This information was already available on the AOP website, and we wanted it to be easy to reach from the landing page.
The video will be lodged on the AOP website. Although there is a voiceover, we designed it so that it can be understood if played silently and so would be ideal for showing on screens in practice waiting rooms. As well as showing the video, we’d recommend that practices have copies of AOP patient leaflets available in case people who have seen the animation ask for copies.
Rewind
A review of AOP activity in the last two months
Key asks of the new government
With a Labour government in place following the 4 July election, OT has been exploring the core priorities of the optometry profession for the new administration, and the next steps for ministers. Review OT’s coverage on the dedicated General election 2024 tab.
Pillars of wellbeing
Dr Ian Beasley, AOP head of education and OT clinical editor, explored how adjustments to the three pillars of sleep, nutrition and exercise could deliver physical and mental wellbeing benefits. Rewatch the Wellbeing webinar: Eat. Sleep. Refract. Repeat, here.
Discussing the draft GOC strategy
The AOP Council met on 5 June, welcoming new Councillors and discussing key aspects of the General Optical Council’s draft strategy 2025–2030. Insight from the meeting informed the AOP’s response to a consultation on the draft strategy. Read key notes from the discussion on OT..jpg?rev=1bc376308f04493f8e976e8494130ea5&hash=A799E1D2F5C0B0BB51EA3A5614F16CD8)
Coming up at the AOP
1 Hospital and Specialty Optometrists Conference 21–22 September
The AOP, along with headline sponsor Bausch + Lomb, will bring together hospital and community specialty optometrists at the 2024 conference in Manchester.
2 OCT Day 6 October
A day of online education focused on optical coherence tomography will be delivered by OT. Sponsors include Optos, Topcon, Specsavers, and Apellis.
3 CPD last year of cycle September
OT will release a CPD survival pack, sponsored by CooperVision. It is designed to support practitioners in meeting their CPD requirements in the last year of the cycle.
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