News
Countdown to opening begins as NHS takes keys for new Sunderland Specialist Eye Hospital
Leaders at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust today took their first steps inside the region’s new specialist eye hospital as construction partner Kier officially handed over the keys. Set to open later this summer, NHS leaders have also...
Glaucoma UK appoints Professor Cecilia Fenerty as new Chair of Trustees
Glaucoma UK has appointed Professor Cecilia Fenerty as its new Chair of Trustees following the charity’s Annual General Meeting in March 2026. Professor Fenerty succeeds Professor Anthony King, who stepped down after completing four years as Chair and nine years...
New College President announced at The College of Optometrists’ AGM
The College of Optometrists has welcomed Professor Irene Ctori FCOptom as the professional body’s new President at the College’s AGM, held in Harrogate during Optometry Tomorrow, the College’s flagship conference. Professor Irene Ctori previously served as Vice-President of the College...
Brenda Rennie appointed as new ABDO president
The Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) is pleased to announce the appointment of Brenda Rennie as its new President, succeeding Kevin Gutsell. Brenda officially takes on the role following her tenure as vice president, bringing with her a wealth...
WATCH EPISODE 17: Beyond 2020 with the Andean Medical Mission
Welcome to the 17th episode of Beyond 2020, the video series from Andean Medical Mission | Bolivian Medical Charity that looks at strategies to eliminate avoidable blindness in countries with developing eyecare services and shares ideas and solutions to common...
Newmedica welcomes GIRFT glaucoma guidance but calls for equitable commissioning to protect patient access
Newmedica has welcomed the publication of NHS England’s Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) Best Practice Guidance for Glaucoma Services, recognising it as an important step toward improving consistency and outcomes for patients across England. The guidance’s emphasis on patient...
SeeAbility achieves Guinness World Records title
SeeAbility achieves Guinness World Records title to highlight the tens of thousands of children with learning disabilities and autism missing out on basic eye care. National charity SeeAbility has achieved a huge GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for: “Most participants featured...
ABDO releases new white paper on paediatric vision care
The Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) has released a new white paper, Advancing paediatric vision care: evidence-based insights and best practices for dispensing spectacles to children by Dr Alicia Thompson. Children’s vision underpins educational attainment, social interaction and lifelong...
Ireland urged to demonstrate leadership with binding commitments on global eye health ahead of 2026 summit
CBM Ireland has urged Governments to make clear, funded commitments on global eye health ahead of a pivotal international summit later this year, warning that avoidable blindness persists not for lack of solutions, but for lack of political and financial...
It’s coming home
Yes, this month sees the return of the four-yearly nightmare for me which is the Fifa World Cup. I have had to live with the torture of watching England being knocked out of the tournament ever since I first started...
Not-for-profit delivers one million patient assessments, expanding access to community eyecare
Primary Eyecare Services, a not-for-profit provider, has reached a major national milestone – supporting more than one million patient assessments in a single year. Delivered during 2025/26, the achievement highlights the growing role of community-based, not-for-profit care in improving access...
ABDO graduation and prize-giving ceremony
The Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) celebrated the graduation of dispensing opticians and contact lens opticians at Canterbury Cathedral on Tuesday 12 May. The annual ceremony is a time-honoured tradition where graduands approach the dais one by one to...


