Calls for Parliament to take action on eye health

The Macular Society has partnered with pharmaceutical company Roche and Fight for Sight to push eye health up the political agenda at a parliamentary event this month.

With demand for eye services at an all-time high, it is more important than ever to improve access and services for patients.

Together, with Roche and Fight for Sight, we are calling on Parliament to take action to improve NHS capacity and access to treatment to prevent people from needlessly losing their sight.

MPs across the UK are being invited to the event at Westminster on Tuesday 19 October, which will help them better understand the impact of living with sight loss and find out what they can do to prioritise the nation’s eye health.

Cathy Yelf, chief executive of the Macular Society, said: “Macular disease is the biggest cause of sight loss in the UK, with cases increasing even before the pandemic. We know the earlier wet AMD and indeed other types of macular disease are treated, the more effective the treatment is, so we must make sure the NHS is making best use of the whole healthcare system – from opticians, to GPs, to specialists in hospitals – so patients are treated quickly. It’s clear this needs to happen now. We are urging parliamentarians and policymakers to push for a more joined-up eye health system.”

How can you help?

Parliamentarians are more likely to attend the event, if they are encouraged to do so by their constituents. You can invite your MP along to the event by downloading our template letter.

Before the event, MPs are also being encouraged to take part in a challenge called The Eyes Have It, where the aim is to identify their colleagues just by pictures of their eyes. Please share the following link with your MP,  so they can take part: https://eyeshaveit.co.uk/

If you don’t know who your MP is, find out here. 

If you do contact your MP, let us know by emailing stories@macularsociety.org