John Baron MP hosts Eye Health Alliance Parliamentary reception

MP urges Government to do more to reduce avoidable sight loss

As Co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group [APPG] for Eye Health and Visual Impairment, John Baron MP yesterday hosted an Eye Health Alliance reception in Parliament and, in doing so, urged the Government to do more to reduce avoidable sight loss. Also speaking at the reception was Professor Nick Bosanquet [Professor of Health Economics at Imperial College] who has recently published his third study into eye care. John has submitted Early Day Motion 1295 – the wording of which is in the Notes to Editors below.

John said:

“100 people start to lose their sight every day – half of which is preventable. We need to act now by encouraging people to have regular sight tests so that eye conditions are detected and treated early.”

“This important public health message must be taken seriously by the Government and the NHS. It was therefore a disappointing that the challenge of preventing avoidable visual impairment and blindness was not in the two recent Public Health papers. I hope this will be rectified shortly.”

EDM 1295

That this House notes with concern that over two million people in the UK are at risk of needlessly losing their sight through treatable eye conditions; that 100 people every day start to lose their sight, half of which could have been prevented through regular sight tests and early treatment; that this important public health message must be taken seriously by national and local government, commissioners, health and social care professionals and the public; and urges the Government to ensure that reducing avoidable sight loss is an indicator in the public health outcome framework.

The Eye Health Alliance is made up of: Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO), Association of Optometrists (AOP), Federation of Ophthalmic & Dispensing Opticians (FODO).