Eye care services

Eye care services are designed to allow people to maintain good eye health and sight or to make the best use of their remaining sight. Optometrists and dispensing opticians play a crucial part in the delivery of these services in the community, often in partnership with other health professionals. Furthermore, optometrists increasingly offer a range of primary eye care services, building on this role as a principal provider of eye care in the community.

The majority of optometrists and dispensing opticians work in local optical practices. As with GPs, dentists and pharmacists, these are non-NHS businesses that contract with the NHS to provide services to NHS patients, as well as offering services to private patients.

They range from independent practitioners, through to family-owned businesses and regional companies, to large national and international companies. Some will be privately owned businesses; others will be publicly-owned and quoted companies. Optical practices are located on the high street, in supermarkets and in shopping centres.

To find a list of local opticians in your area, please refer to:
http://www.nhs.uk/servicedirectories/Pages/Service-Search.aspx

Glaucoma is an eye disease which occurs when the nerve, known as the optic nerve that carries images from the eye to the brain is damaged. This is usually caused by increased pressure in the eye ball. If it is detected early enough, it can be treated and sight loss prevented. A person may not know they have glaucoma until they have lost a considerable part of their vision. This is why it is important to have regular eye tests to detect the disease.

Diabetic Retinopathy refers to damage to the tiny blood vessels that nourish the retina, the tissues in the back of the eye that deal with light.

Damage to these vessels causes blood leakage, leading to sight loss. The main cause of diabetic retinopathy is diabetes. It can occur as a result of all types of diabetes and if left untreated can lead to blindness.

Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness amongst working age adults. Every person with diabetes is entitled to annual screening for diabetic retinopathy on the NHS. Screening for the disease is crucial to ensure early treatment and prevent any sight loss.

Your constituent should contact their local optician to make an appointment. A full sight test will be conducted by a qualified optometrist. Many groups of people are entitled to a free NHS sight test (see below for more details).

A sight test is not just about checking whether your vision needs correcting. Regular sight tests are important to check for the early signs of eye disease which, if left untreated, could lead to blindness.

Most people should go for a test once every two years.

If you have diabetes or a family history of eye disease, such as glaucoma, you may need a sight test more frequently. Speak to your optometrist for individual advice.

In England, Northern Ireland & Wales you qualify for a free NHS sight test if you are:

• Aged under 16
• Aged 16, 17 or 18 in full-time education
• Claiming Benefit (i.e. Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Pension Credit Guarantee Credit). If you are receiving Tax Credits you may also be entitled to help on the NHS.
• On a low income and named on a valid HC2 (full help) or HC3 (partial help) certificate
• For a full list, please refer to 'Help with Health Costs' (HC11) http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Health-Costs/Documents/HealthCosts/HC11.pdf

To apply for a HC2 or HC3 certificate complete a HC1 form available from a Job Centre Plus office, NHS hospital or by phoning the NHS health cost advice line on 0845 850 1166. Some dentists, opticians and doctor surgeries also have them.

In Scotland NHS eye examinations are available free to all.

If you need new glasses or contact lenses, and qualify for help with the cost, you will be given an optical voucher along with your prescription. You are free to use your voucher as full or part payment towards the cost of the glasses or contact lenses of your choice, at an optician of your choice.

In England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales you can get help with the cost of glasses or contact lenses if you are:

• Aged under 16;
• Aged 16, 17 or 18 in full-time education
• Prescribed Complex Lenses (your optician will advise on your entitlement)
• Claiming Benefit (i.e. Income Support,
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance,
• Income-related Employment and Support
• Allowance, Pension Credit Guarantee Credit). If you are receiving Tax Credits you may also be entitled to help on the NHS.
• On a low income and named on a valid HC2 (full help) or HC3 (partial help) certificate

Under the NHS, eligible patients who cannot leave home unaccompanied, due to a physical or mental disability, are entitled to a free sight test in their home. This home visiting service can be provided both by high street optometrists and specialist mobile service providers.

If a person is unable to leave their home, it is still important for them to have regular sight tests. Many of these people are older citizens and have a higher predisposition to eye disease. Wearing outdated spectacles puts them at higher risk of visual impairment and falls.

When your constituent goes for their sight test, they must tell the optician if they are entitled to a free NHS sight test and ask for form GOS1 to apply for it.

If they have a valid HC3 certificate, they should show it to the optician and ask if they are entitled to any help with the cost of their private sight test.

For more details including how to claim a refund, please visit:
www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Health-costs/Pages/Eyecarecosts.aspx

To discover more about eye care services in your areas, you may wish to contact your Local Optimal Committee (LOC). LOCs are statutory bodies which represent the interests of local opticians at local health authority level and which contribute to debate on local health issues. To find out more information about the role of your LOC and to contact the Chair, please go to the LOC Support Unit:

www.locsu.co.uk

LOCSU Atlas of Optical Variation

Engaging with primary healthcare professionals to improve the health of the local population

Optometrists (Formerly known as ophthalmic opticians)
- test sight, prescribe and dispense glasses and contact lenses. They are university trained to recognise diseases and abnormalities in the eye. They are regulated by the General Optical Council.

Dispensing Opticians
- dispense, fit and supply glasses and if they have undergone further training, fit contact lenses. They interpret a patient’s visual and fitting requirements from the prescription. They are also regulated by the General Optical Council.

Ophthalmic Medical Practitioners
- are doctors who specialise in eye care and are regulated by the General Medical Council.

Ophthalmologists
- are medically trained doctors who have undertaken further specialist training into eye diseases. They are based in hospital eye clinics. They are also regulated by the General Medical Council.

• NHS Choices - http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Eye-health/Pages/Eyehealthhome.aspx
• Local Optical Committees Support Unit (LOCSU) - www.locsu.co.uk
• UK Vision Strategy - www.vision2020uk.org.uk/ukvisionstrategy/
• The NHS Information Centre - http://www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/primary-care/eye-care
• Centre for Public Scrutiny (CfPS) - 10 questions to ask if you are scrutinising local eye health provision - http://www.cfps.org.uk/what-we-do/publications/cfps-health/?id=102