§ Lord Lipseyasked Her Majesty's Government:
How much it would cost to offer eye tests free to every adult in England, taking into account both Department of Health guidance that the appropriate interval between eye tests for the majority of adults is two years and likely take-up; and [HL2402]
How much it would cost to offer National Health Service eye tests to every adult in England at the current subsidised rate of £16.72, taking into account both Department of Health guidance that the appropriate interval between eye tests for the majority of adults is two years and likely take-up. [HL2403]
§ Baroness AndrewsBased on the current number of private sight tests, the cost of extending National Health Service sight tests to this group, at the current rate of £16.72, would be an additional £80 million for England.
It is not possible to estimate whether such a change would lead to any additional sight tests being undertaken.
NHS sight tests are already available to certain priority groups, mainly people aged 60 and over, children under 16, those aged 16–18 in full-time education, people on low incomes who might otherwise be deterred by the cost of a private sight test and defined categories of people at particular risk of developing eye disease.