Page 20 - FODO Strategy 2023

William Stockdale “”
Contact lens optician, FODO member and
Optometry Northern Ireland past chair
Since establishing an independent practice in Northern
Ireland over 20 years ago, I have played an active role in
primary eye care, including serving as a FODO director and
chair of Optometry Northern Ireland.
In Northern Ireland, 95% of our population lives within five
miles of a primary eye care practice. We live and work in
local communities and see the importance of our sight
testing service. It helps children through education, keeps
people at work and helps prevent falls in older people; and,
of course, helps us detect eye health issues which in turn
helps avoid preventable sight loss.

It is an amazing public and population health achievement
that the high standard of care the population can access
without a wait is universal.
We have built on this with the Northern Ireland Primary
Eyecare Assessment and Referral Service (NI PEARS), which
deals with urgent eye problems and reduces pressure on
GP and hospital colleagues.
In recent years we have also added an ocular hypertension
and glaucoma service, which includes enhanced case-
finding, monitoring and treatment for OHT patients.

We continue to work collaboratively with system colleagues
to build on our successes, including interconnectivity and
developing enhanced services.
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Audiology Primary Eye Care

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20 FODO UK