The provision of eye care in Wales is innovative and progressive, utilising the full clinical skills and competencies of optometrists. This was underpinned by legislative changes to introduce Wales General Ophthalmic Services (WGOS) in 2023, resulting in more than 90,000 additional optometry appointments in 2024-25 compared with the previous year.2
112,000 people in Wales are living with sight loss (3.5% of the population). This is predicted to increase to 133,000 by 2032, and double by 2050.1
There are over 1,200 highly trained optometrists3 in Wales delivering more than 865,000 NHS sight tests each year4. They check vision and eye health, and can also diagnose, monitor, and treat eye conditions like cataracts and glaucoma. Many optometrists have additional higher qualifications, including the ability to prescribe medications, and can manage patients with more complex eye care needs, avoiding the need to send patients to already over-stretched hospitals.
By building on this strong foundation and continuing to prioritise primary and community eye care, the next Welsh government can further advance optometry services, making sure everyone can get the specialised care they need quicker and deliver better outcomes for patients.