Has the Welsh Government considered increasing the number visual field tests being conducted in non-hospital settings, such as through high street providers?
The efficacy of a visual field test to assess the eye health of an individual is a clinical decision appropriately determined by a qualified eye care practitioner. The test is one of a number of tests used by eye care practitioners for diagnosing and ongoing monitoring purposes.
Visual field tests are already used in both primary care optometry and secondary care ophthalmology. The use in non-hospital settings is increasing to align with primary care ophthalmic service reform, which came into force between October 2023 and April 2024. Reform enables NHS Wales to fully use upskilled optometrists on the high street to deliver new eye care pathways to people with glaucoma and medical retina conditions, in which the visual field test and other diagnostic examinations is an integral part of the process of diagnosing and monitoring eye conditions.