MP's concern over eye treatment

MP Helen Jones is to write to health chiefs in Warrington expressing concern at apparent shortcomings in follow-up treatment for glaucoma patients in the town.
The Warrington North MP decided to write to NHS Warrington after meeting with officials from the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) at a Parliamentary reception in London.
RNIB were launching their new eye health campaign, Save our Sight (SOS).
About two million people in the UK have sight problems and the number of people at risk of the main causes of blindness – cataract, glaucoma, wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic eye disease – is set to increase by up to 25 per cent in the decade leading up to 2020.
However, 50 per cent of sight loss is avoidable and RNIB’s SOS campaign aims to tackle the “timebomb” of unnecessary sight loss and promote the importance of timely access to vital treatment.
At the reception, Ms Jones was presented with a report into the performance of NHS Warrington on sight related care.
She said: “I was pleased to meet with the RNIB and hear about their new SOS campaign to improve early diagnosis and access to treatment for my constituents.
“It was good to see that NHS Warrington is performing well on three of the RNIB’s indicators – cataract treatment policy, macular oedema and wet age-related macular degeneration policy.
“From the RNIB’s report it looks like there is work to do on follow-up appointments for glaucoma patients so I will be writing to the hospital about this.”
Steve Winyard, head of campaigns at RNIB, said: “We welcome the support of Helen Jones.
Our SOS campaign aims to challenge unnecessary sight loss, to promote the importance of regular eye checks and also to highlight those areas where timely access to treatment and monitoring has saved the sight of those previously at risk of blindness.”
Picture: Helen Jones with Steve Winyard, of RNIB