That the Parliament notes National Eye Health Week, which runs from 23 to 29 September 2024; believes that this event provides an opportunity to promote the importance of maintaining good eye health and raises awareness of the services and support available to people across Scotland; welcomes the renewed commitment to free eye health checks and considers that everyone in Scotland should undertake a check at least every two years to pick up as early as possible any changes before they affect vision and allow effective treatment, regardless of where they live or what background they come from; understands that 50% of sight loss is avoidable; notes the work across the third sector, optometry, the NHS, Scottish Government and local government in developing improved treatments and support; further notes the support for a continued focus on improving the communication and shifting the balance of care between available services, and increasing the use of the best available technology in patients' sight loss journey; notes the support for an end-to-end pathway providing patients with the best care possible; recognises the work of Optometry Scotland and the visual impairment sector in supporting the work of the NHS and social services on the sight loss pathway; commends the efforts of Optometry Scotland and RNIB Scotland in promoting National Eye Health Week, and notes the calls for people living in Greenock and Inverclyde, and across Scotland, to book their free eye health check if they have not done so in the last two years.
Supported by:
Karen Adam, Clare Adamson, Jeremy Balfour, Colin Beattie, Miles Briggs, Ariane Burgess, Stephanie Callaghan, Sharon Dowey, Jackie Dunbar, Pam Duncan-Glancy, Annabelle Ewing, Kenneth Gibson, Christine Grahame, Emma Harper, Clare Haughey, Stephen Kerr, Bill Kidd, Fulton MacGregor, Rona Mackay, John Mason, Audrey Nicoll, Alex Rowley, Kevin Stewart, Paul Sweeney, Sue Webber, Tess White, Beatrice Wishart