European optical environment hub opens

The European Council of Optometry and Optics (ECOO) has responded to the climate emergency by setting up an environmental and sustainability hub.

The online resource details how sustainability relates to eyecare, highlighting that this is a key concern for patients and clients. It outlines: 

• Sustainable practice: the role of eyecare professionals.
• Responsible recycling of waste by optical professionals and patients.

ECCO backs the 10 key areas of action announced by the International Association for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) this year, They include encouraging eye care professionals to take a leadership, education and advocacy role, to reduce the use of fossil fuels, conserve water and travel less, and to reuse and recycle as much as possible. 

The IAPB sets out four principles of sustainable practice: 

1. Disease prevention and health promotion. 
2. Patient education and patient empowerment.
3. Lean service delivery.
4. Preferential use of medical technologies with lower environmental impact.

Eyecare practices create substantial plastic waste through used contact lenses, plastic bags for frames, spectacles cases and dummy lenses. Other problems include patients’ old spectacle frames and lenses, micro particles of plastic washed out with the water from edging machines, packaging from products and personal protective equipment (PPE).

• The ABDO SEE hub (Sustainability, Energy, & Environment) is packed full of tools and information to help you practise sustainably.