§ Mr. StunellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations his Department has received in the last year on the extension of glaucoma testing as part of the NHS standard sight test; and if he will make a statement; [42368]
(2) what estimates he has made of (a) the number and (b) the proportion of opticians who carry out the full three stage test for glaucoma in the course of NHS sight tests; what plans he has to extend the provision of all three tests to all patients receiving NHS sight tests; and if he will make a statement. [42366]
§ Mr. MilburnInformation from the College of Optometrists, which regularly reviews current practice among its members, suggests that, in testing patients over 40 and other patients predisposed to glaucoma, virtually all optometrists examine the optic disc and measure intra-ocular pressures, and over half routinely undertake a visual field assessment. These data are not broken down between private and National Health Service sight tests, but we would expect optometrists to adopt common practices for both groups of patients.
We have not received representations on this subject.
§ Mr. StunellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what evaluation he has made of(a) the increased cost of ensuring that every NHS periodic sight test includes all three glaucoma detection tests and (b) the additional number of early-stage glaucoma cases that would be detected with universal three test procedures; and if he will make a statement. [42367]
§ Mr. MilburnWe are aware of research which suggests that the accuracy of referrals could be improved from 60 to 80 per cent. by the combined use of the 3 tests on patients at risk of glaucoma. There is a single fee for undertaking National Health Service sight tests which is set through negotiations between the Department and representatives of optometrists and ophthalmic medical 177W practitioners. Clinical developments are among the factors taken into account, but it is not possible to isolate their impact.