| answer text |
<p>The table below shows how many National Health Service funded sight tests were
provided in England to people aged over 60 and to other eligible groups in each of
the last five years.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>2009/10</p></td><td><p>2010/11</p></td><td><p>2011/12</p></td><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>2013/14</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Aged
60 and over</p></td><td><p>5,191,773</p></td><td><p>5,305,177</p></td><td><p>5,537,930</p></td><td><p>5,480,711</p></td><td><p>5,562,847</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Other
eligible groups</p></td><td><p>6,619,878</p></td><td><p>6,633,352</p></td><td><p>6,767,797</p></td><td><p>6,858,542</p></td><td><p>7,224,583</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total</p></td><td><p>11,811,651</p></td><td><p>11,938,529</p></td><td><p>12,305,727</p></td><td><p>12,339,253</p></td><td><p>12,787,430</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><em>Source:</em> Health and Social Care Information Centre</p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Free sight tests on the NHS are available to certain eligible
groups including people aged 60 and over, children under 16, those aged 16-18 in full-time
education, people on low incomes and defined categories of people at particular risk
of developing eye disease.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Some individuals may qualify
for an NHS sight test on more than one criterion. However, they would only be recorded
against one criterion on the NHS sight test form. Patients are more likely to be recorded
according to their clinical need rather than their age. For example, a patient aged
over 60, with glaucoma is likely to be recorded in the glaucoma category only. The
count for those aged 60 and over is therefore an approximate figure and may slightly
underestimate.</p><p> </p>
|
|
