Campaign seeks patient experiences
Patient champions are asking DOs to support the #ShareForBetterCare campaign, to find out about people’s experiences of eyecare.
Healthwatch England wants to find out more about how barriers accessing eyecare are affecting people. More than 600,000 patients are on ophthalmology waiting lists.
By 2030, 2.7 million individuals are expected to be living with sight loss. Groups such as those on low incomes and people from ethnic minority backgrounds are believed to be especially hard hit. Almost half of adults with sight loss live in a household with a total income of less than £300 a week.
The campaign encourages people to have regular sight tests, explaining that 50% of sight loss is avoidable.
A Healthwatch spokesperson said: “Healthy vision is something many of us take for granted – until there is a problem. So, being able to access eyecare is important to preventing and treating problems.
“We want to hear from you whether you need to go to the optician but are putting it off, have recently been, or are getting other support for your vision from the NHS.
“Your views are vital to help local NHS managers understand what is working and what they need to fix when it comes to eye care. It won’t take long, but it will help shed light on the situation. “
The survey asks whether people are getting their eyesight tested and if they face any barriers. It also seeks to find out, if people have had eyecare, what their experience was.