Expanding eye care services bring treatment closer to home for North Wales patients

12 December 2025

People across North Wales are benefitting from easier access to eye care, thanks to new services developed by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

The Health Board has been working closely with local optometry practices to expand the range of care available in the community. This means more patients can now be assessed and treated by their local optometrist, without needing to visit hospital eye departments for many common conditions.

As part of this improvement, a growing number of optometrists across North Wales are now qualified in Independent Prescribing (IP), enabling them to diagnose, manage and treat a variety of urgent eye problems. These include issues such as conjunctivitis, dry eye, foreign body removal, post-cataract complications and corneal abrasions.

Since launching earlier this year, the new urgent eye care service in primary care has already supported more than 2,000 patients, helping to reduce pressure on hospital services, GPs, pharmacies and emergency departments.

Kelly Gibson, Optometric Advisor for the Health Board, said: “Over the past year we’ve been focused on building a sustainable workforce within primary care by supporting and upskilling optometrists. Independent Prescribing has shown how optometrists can safely manage patients in the community and reduce demand on hospital services.

“Our long-term goal is to have even more optometrists with this qualification, so that patients can access timely, high-quality care closer to home. These new services make it easier for people to get the right care, in the right place, at the right time.”

As services expand, patients may be invited to attend local optometry practices for screening and monitoring appointments for conditions such as glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, macular degeneration, or eye checks linked to certain medications.

Dyfan Jones, Optometrist at Specsavers in Porthmadog and Caernarfon, said: “Across North Wales, we’re really pleased to see optometry services continuing to expand and bring more care closer to home. As independent prescribers, we can help ease pressures on GP practices and Emergency Departments by providing enhanced eye care services directly in the community. We strongly encourage everyone to have a routine eye test every two years. Many eye conditions, including glaucoma, have far better outcomes when detected early, and regular checks are one of the most effective ways to protect your long-term eye health.”

Manon Haf, Chair of the North Wales Regional Optometric Committee, added: “We’re really proud of the progress being made and the growing role of primary care optometry in delivering frontline eye care. These developments directly benefit our communities and reflect a strong partnership between local optometrists and the Health Board.”

These new services have been developed in line with Welsh Government’s national eye care reform, ensuring that people across North Wales can continue to access high-quality, accessible and efficient eye care in their local communities.

Find your nearest Optometrist here