Wales Council of the Blind

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Wales is Leading the UK on Access and Equity in Eye Care

The latest General Optical Council (GOC) Public Perceptions Survey provides independent evidence that Wales is leading the UK on access and equity in eye care. The findings suggest people in Wales are more likely to access eye care services, more likely to seek help first from an optometrist when they experience an eye problem, and more likely to benefit from equitable access to care than elsewhere in the UK.

The survey highlights that:

  • 88% of people in Wales have had a sight test within the last two years, the highest rate of any UK nation.
  • 60% of people in Wales would choose an optometrist practice first if they developed an eye problem, significantly higher than elsewhere in the UK.
  • 95% of people are confident they would receive a high standard of care from an optometry practice, demonstrating continued public trust in eye care services delivered within local communities.
  • Wales has the smallest gap in sight-testing uptake between vulnerable and non-vulnerable groups, suggesting that access to care is reaching a broader cross-section of the population than elsewhere in the UK.
Whilst satisfaction with optometry services is high across all UK nations, the most significant finding is that Wales appears to have established one of the clearest and most effective pathways into eye care in the UK. More people are accessing services, more people understand that optometry should be the first place to seek help for an eye problem, and access is more equitable across different groups within the population. These findings align with the long-standing ambition in Wales to make eye care more accessible, provide services closer to home and ensure that community optometry plays a central role within the wider healthcare system.

The survey demonstrates that this approach is delivering tangible benefits for patients and the public. In particular, it indicates that community optometry is increasingly being recognised and used as the first point of contact for eye health concerns, helping people receive care closer to home and reducing inequalities in access.

The emerging story from the survey is not simply one of high patient satisfaction. It is a story of improved access, reduced inequalities and successful service transformation. Independent UK-wide evidence suggests that Wales is leading the UK on access and equity in eye care, with more people accessing services, more people choosing optometry as their first point of contact, and smaller differences in access between vulnerable and non-vulnerable groups. Together, these findings demonstrate the benefits of a system that has strengthened the role of community optometry and improved access to care closer to home.

You can read the full survey report here.

Posted on the 6th of August 2026