News & Views

Read the latest RCOphth news updates and guidance here.

News

Member statement on annual allowance pension tax changes

For ‘reasons of urgent operational necessity’, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, has released a statement confirming commitments for payments to clinicians affected by annual allowance pension tax will be honoured when clinicians retire.

Statement

Strabismus (squint) surgical intervention is not a cosmetic procedure

The College recognises that botulinum toxin and surgical treatment for strabismus* are important procedures that are performed in children and adults to promote, improve or re-establish binocular function, manage diplopia and restore ocular alignment and balance. Surgical intervention (including botulinum toxin injections) performed to achieve these aims is thus not a cosmetic procedure and does not fall under the GMC guidance for cosmetic surgery. Commissioning pathways for the management of squints reflect this. Surgical intervention (including botulinum toxin injections) performed to achieve these aims is thus not a cosmetic procedure and does not fall under the GMC guidance for cosmetic surgery. Commissioning pathways for the management of squints reflect this.

Statement

NICE guidance on Ocriplasmin

The Royal College of Ophthalmologists welcomes the decision by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to recommend 125 micrograms Ocriplasmin intravitreal injection as an option for the treatment of vitreomacular traction (VMT) in adults who have either stage II full-thickness macular holes (FTMH) with a diameter of ≤ 400um and/or severe symptoms.