Welcome to f.y. eye consulting Blog
Explore the latest insights and updates from Jason Higginbotham, a UK optometrist, as he shares valuable information on CPD provision, training, device development, and more in the eye care sector. Stay informed with our blog posts.
5/8/20241 min read
Our Call for Affordable Eye Care for Kids in the UK, especially those requiring Myopia Management.
It is an honour to be the managing editor of myopiafocus.org . In my role, I get the opportunity to learn more about the developments in myopia management, including our understanding of its epidemiology, pathophysiology and new therapies in helping to slow the progression of this potentially sight-threatening condition.
One thing that concerns me greatly is access to these therapies. In particular, currently, the cost of myopia management is quite high. Imagine a low-income family with three children. NHS primary care GOS (general ophthalmic services) does not provide any significant funding towards eye care in general. Now consider the needs of myopia sufferers. They will need more complex and expensive glasses and/or contact lenses and they will need these changing far more often than non myopes, for example.
There is a risk of a 'two-tier' provision of myopia management in the UK (and probably elsewhere too), where children from less financially well-off families will be at greater risk of sight-threatening conditions in later life simply because they couldn't get full access to all the therapies available to them as children.
The new Labour government has a chance to remedy this by changing the way children's eye care is funded in the UK.
Please sign our petition here to help increase public awareness of the condition and, perhaps, help drive change in government policy towards eye care funding.