We are pleased to see that NHS England, along with the other nations, recognises the important role that optical practices play in providing services to patients. Following the letter we sent to the Minister for Prevention, Public Health and Primary Care Jo Churchill MP on 1 April 2020, NHS England confirmed some financial support for contractors in England. We are now working with the Optical Fees Negotiating Committee (OFNC) to better understand the details of these measures and their implications for practices and our members, and will release a full statement on this as soon as possible.
As society continues to open up, the Optometry in Practice editorial board thought it opportune to reflect on the experiences of the pandemic to date and assess the impact on both eyecare professionals and our patients.
It is rare for respiratory viruses to cause eye infections, writes Kim Thomas, but they may use the eye as a portal of entry. And what is the mechanism behind their travel to the respiratory system?