Sandra Gidley MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Eye Health and Visual Impairment, hosted the 3rd annual Eye Health Alliance parliamentary reception on Monday 8th December 2008. The event was attended by key parliamentarians and representatives from the eye care sector and the wider health community.
Addressing the event, Sandra Gidley said;
“We still have children in this country going through school and into adulthood with uncorrected squint and lazy eye – all eminently correctable if caught early. At the same time only 33% of blind and visually impaired working age adults are in employment despite having the same educational attainments and skill levels as sighted people.” She went on to speak of an ageing population that would put demand on both hospital based and community eye care services, with health and social care costs set to rise dramatically unless action is taken immediately.
Anne Milton MP, Conservative Shadow Health Minister, also spoke and pointed out the importance of the UK Vision Strategy, which sets out a framework for improving eye health services over the next five years, including the need to improve awareness and understanding of eye health amongst the public.
In addition to this, parliamentarians had the opportunity to find out more about the prevalence of eye conditions in their local area though the National Eye Health Epidemiological Model. This ground breaking research was recently launched on World Sight Day, 9th October 2008 and identifies estimated need for eye care services including low vision, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and cataracts by local area. This assessment tool provides valuable information for all those involved in developing services for local patients.
For more information please go to: www.eyehealthmodel.org.uk.
