Read the latest RCOphth news updates and guidance here.
Leading eye care experts have issued a call to the next Government to recognise the unmet needs of more than 2.2 million people across the UK who are currently living with a condition that causes visual impairment or sight loss, and as part of this, to commit to developing a long-awaited national plan for eye care in England.
The College of Optometrists and The Royal College of Ophthalmologists have published an updated joint vision for the continued collaboration of the two professions, to support the delivery of safe and sustainable eye care services in England.
News release issued by LOCSU, the Local Optical Committee Support Unit: A new standard clinical specification for community minor and urgent eye care, which aims to assure, support and enhance access to minor and urgent eye care locally across England, has been published today.
The Royal College of Ophthalmologists is delighted to share the news that Professor Giuliana Silvestri, has been honoured with a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the first of the King's Birthday Honours list 2023.
This week (19 – 23 June) is Clinical Audit Awareness Week, a national annual campaign that promotes and celebrates the impact of clinical audits in healthcare. RCOphth runs the world renowned National Ophthalmology Database Audit and is recognised by clinicians, NICE, GIRFT and industry as an important safety and research tool that is used to audit the treatment of cataracts and recently has added the potentially blinding disease of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) to its work.
The NHS is asking patients to use services wisely during industrial action and take simple steps to help ensure care is available to patients who need it most. This includes using 111 online as the first port of call for health needs and continuing to only use 999 if it is a life-threatening emergency.
Responding to the establishment of the Elective Recovery Taskforce and its focus on utilising independent sector capacity and community diagnostic centres to reduce backlogs, RCOphth stresses the need to preserve the sustainability of NHS ophthalmology services and find solutions to the long-term challenges facing the sector, particularly regarding the workforce.
With the number of people living with glaucoma in the UK expected to increase by almost a third between 2020 and 2035, Glaucoma UK is urging people to get their eyes tested. As part of Glaucoma Awareness Week 2022, which will run from 27 June to 3 July, the charity is highlighting the importance of regular sight tests, commonly referred to as eye tests, with the aim of ending preventable glaucoma sight loss.
Faricimab is administered as an eye injection and is being recommended as an option for treating some adults with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or with diabetic macular oedema (DMO).
Andy Pyott carried out extensive interviews in 2020, both virtually and face to face with all the relevant stakeholders to map out the existing provision of services, barriers and good practices.
