The COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll on the UK population’s eye health and on eye health services. In 2020, 4.3 million fewer people had an eye examination compared with 2019 – a 23% decline. Referrals to the hospital eye service dropped by 316,000 in March to December 2020 – a 28% decrease from the same period in 2019 (Specsavers, 2021). 

Researchers also found the backlog of services was likely to result in significant costs for people with sight-threatening conditions, who – while they are waiting to be seen – live with a greater risk of falls and fear of further vision loss, and experience productivity losses and reduced quality of life (Specsavers, 2021). 

However, changes in how the NHS commissions its services and where it treats patients may help tackle some of these backlogs in the future.