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<p>Prevention, early detection and access to timely treatment are key to preventing
avoidable blindness.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has well established programmes
on reducing smoking and obesity, both long term risk factors for vision loss.</p><p>
</p><p>Early detection is key and free National Health Service sight tests are available
to all children, those aged 60 and over, individuals on low incomes or at increased
risk of certain eye diseases.</p><p> </p><p>Diabetic retinopathy is a common complication
of diabetes which can lead to sight loss. The diabetic retinopathy screening programme
offered screening to over three million eligible people during 2016/17.</p><p> </p><p>Clinical
commissioning groups are responsible for commissioning secondary care ophthalmology
services to meet local needs. Two key initiatives, Getting it Right First Time being
led by NHS Improvement and the Elective Care Transformation Programme being led by
NHS England have considered, as part of their programmes, what can be done to improve
outcomes for ophthalmology patients.</p><p> </p><p>The All Party Parliamentary Group
on Eye Health and Visual Impairment’s ‘See the Light’ report, published in June 2018
set out a number of recommendations on this issue. Initial meetings have been held
with key stakeholders to discuss the Department and NHS England’s response to the
report’s recommendations and these discussions are ongoing.</p><p> </p><p>The report
can be found at the following link:</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://www.rnib.org.uk/sites/default/files/See%20the%20light_Improving%20NHS%20eye%20care%20capacity%20in%20England_0.pdf"
target="_blank">https://www.rnib.org.uk/sites/default/files/See%20the%20light_Improving%20NHS%20eye%20care%20capacity%20in%20England_0.pdf</a></p>
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