Vision

The vision profile brings together population rates across the whole eye pathway. It gives local areas comparable indicators of risk factors, healthcare and outcomes to support commissioning and planning.

The profile compiles eye health data from a range of sources and divided into the following domains:

  • outpatient indicators
  • procedures, such as intravitreal injections and cataract surgery
  • sight loss outcomes
  • risk factors 

A key public health issue

Around 2 million people in the UK are living with some form of sight loss, with this expected to rise to 2.7 million by 2030. Maintaining good eye health is central to maintaining good mental, social and physical health. Vision loss is associated with a reduction in overall quality of life, mental health, independence, mobility, educational attainment, and employment.

Sight loss is not an inevitable part of aging, an estimated 50% of sight loss is avoidable. Sight loss prevention actions can be taken at all levels:

  • Primary prevention of sight loss is closely linked to maintaining overall good health. Public health prevention programmes to reduce obesity, increase exercise and stop smoking may prevent or delay the onset of eye disease.
  • Secondary prevention is central to maintaining vision or slowing the progression of diseases which can result in sight loss and is dependent on the organisation and delivery of health services to meet need and demand.
  • Tertiary prevention requires social services and voluntary organisations to support people who are blind or partially sighted to live independently and to adapt to living with their eye condition.

Access the vision profile here or on the right side of the page.

User survey

It’s important for us to know your feedback and understand your needs. We’d appreciate if you filled in our short user survey.

Vision atlas of variation

The vision profile is based on indicators developed for the ‘Atlas of variation in risk factors and healthcare for vision in England’. The Atlas showed that vision treatment specialties accounted for almost 10% of all outpatient attendances in England. You can access the full Atlas, including, interactive atlas and datafile.

Updated data for the full set of ten hospital based indicators published in the Atlas is available in this datafile with accompanying metadata.

Future updates to the profiles will be announced on the GOV.UK statistical release calendar.