Page last updated: 27-JUL-2010

General Ophthalmic Services

Background

ISD collects information on NHS General Ophthalmic Service activity in Scotland, as performed by eye care professionals.
Picture of an Eye
These data are collected on a series of forms referred to asGOS (General Ophthalmic Services) forms.

If a patient is entitled to free or subsidised eye care (excluding eye examinations), they must present evidence of this to the optician (Exemption categories).

The optician submits a claim form for the services provided, which is signed by both the optician and the patient. This form is sent to Practitioner Services for processing the payments. The forms are scanned and their information is stored in a database called OPTIX. ISD then collates these data to provide annual tables of GOS activity. The data exclude NHS Hospital Eye Services and optical service provided privately.

The information in these pages was compiled from OPTIX.  Below is a summary of the information on eye examinations and voucher claims for financial year ending 31 March 2010.

  • The number of eye examinations during the year to 31st March 2010 was 1,775,456 this compares with 1,728,079 during the year to 31st March 2009, an increase of 2.7%.

Chart_C_gif2

  • 4.5% of all patients who had an eye examination were then referred to their GP or Hospital. 94.8% of patients were not referred for further care.

  • 42.3% of all supplementary eye examinations were for further checks of side vision and pressure in the eye.

  • 473,775 vouchers (pairs of spectacles for which vouchers were redeemed, including complex appliance payments) were reimbursed by NHS Boards. This was a 1.3% increase on the previous year.

  • The number of supplementary tints supplied (8,606) decreased by 5.7% on the previous year.

  • The total number of patients receiving a primary eye examination increased by 1.5% from 1,630,600 for year ending 31 March 2009 to 1,655,075 for year ending 31 March 2010.
    Of the 1,655,075 primary eye examinations, 1,647,189 where for ordinary residents, an increase of 1.4% and 7,886 were for exempt visitors, an increase of 6.0%.

  • The total number of patients receiving a supplementary eye examination increased by 23.5% from 97,479 for year ending 31 March 2009 to 120,381 for year ending March 2010.
    Of the 120,381 supplementary eye examinations, 119,852 were for ordinary residents, an increase of 23.7% and 529 where for exempt visitors, a decrease of 13.2%.