Emergency departments in England are seeing hundreds of thousands of people annually seeking treatment for minor eye conditions that could be managed by community optometry services, according to new analysis from the Association of Optometrists (AOP). The findings suggest that a significant number of patients with issues such as dry eyes, conjunctivitis, and foreign objects in the eye are attending accident and emergency (A&E) departments despite these conditions being suitable for treatment in high street clinics.

Data from the most recent year shows that 77,093 people visited A&E due to eye scratches, nearly 28,000 for dry eyes, and around 23,000 for having foreign bodies in their eyes. The AOP estimates that between 62 and 78 percent of the approximately 780,000 annual eye-related A&E visits could be effectively addressed by local optometry services.

Adam Sampson, chief executive of the AOP, highlighted that many patients turn to emergency departments because of the limited availability of NHS-funded community eye care. He pointed to a “postcode lottery,” where the extent of service funding varies widely across different regions, resulting in uneven access to optometric care. Sampson argued that emergency departments are often not the appropriate first point of care for these conditions and urged the government to ensure widespread availability of community-based eye care.

The issue has drawn attention amid mounting pressures on emergency services. Dr. James Gagg, vice president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, acknowledged the increased strain on A&E departments and supported the expansion of community optometry services. He said that better-resourced local eye care would provide patients with faster, more equitable access to treatment and help alleviate emergency department overcrowding, which has led to long waits and compromised patient care.

The AOP has formally appealed to the Health Secretary through its Eye Care Everywhere campaign, calling on the government to guarantee that all patients with eye problems can access treatment from opticians on the high street. Sampson emphasized that enabling easier access to community eye care would offer a sensible, efficient alternative for patients, similar to how community pharmacies provide initial healthcare support for various other conditions.

Officials in the eye care sector and emergency medicine are encouraging policymakers to prioritize investment in local optometry services as a strategy to reduce unnecessary A&E attendances and improve patient outcomes across the country.