This year marks 20 years since the introduction of General Ophthalmic Services (GOS) in Scotland. Since 2006, community optometry has continued to evolve, supporting more patients than ever before and providing increasingly complex care closer to home.
Drawing on the latest Public Health Scotland Ophthalmic Workload Statistics and wider GOS data, here are 20 facts that highlight how eye care in Scotland has changed over the past two decades.
- Approximately 1.57 million eye examinations were undertaken in Scotland in 2006/07
- By 2024/25, this had increased to around 2.44 million eye examinations
- This represents an increase of approximately 55% over the last 20 years
- The number of eye examinations undertaken in Scotland has increased every year since 2006/07
- Around 64,500 supplementary eye examinations were undertaken in 2006/07.
- In 2024/25, there were approximately 686,000 supplementary eye examinations undertaken
- By 2024/25, supplementary examination activity was more than ten times the level recorded in 2006/07.
- Cataract Referral Advice and Counselling appointments have increased substantially, rising from 3,343 in 2018/19 to 24,882 in 2024/25.
- Unscheduled appointments accounted for around 36% of all supplementary examinations in 2024/25.
- Anterior Eye Condition appointments accounted for a further 31%.
- The number of domiciliary visits increased from 36,950 in 2006/07 to 60,917 in 2024/25
- This represents an increase of approximately 65% in domiciliary eye care activity
- In 2024/25, 93.4% of patients receiving an eye examination were not referred onwards for further investigation
- In 2024/25, around 1.17 million eye examinations followed a recall, compared with a much smaller proportion in the earlier years of GOS.
- Self-referral remained a major route into community optometry in 2024/25, accounting for approximately 1.18 million eye examinations, although recall activity had grown to almost the same level.
- Referrals to GPs have fallen by almost half, decreasing from around 45,000 annually to fewer than 24,000
- Hospital referrals have increased alongside overall examination activity, reflecting the important role community optometry plays in identifying patients who require further investigation
- Despite an almost 55% increase in eye examinations since 2006/07, the number of glasses, lenses and supplements claimed through NHS optical vouchers fell by approximately 13% over the same period.
- Primary eye examination rates are highest amongst older adults, emphasising the importance of community optometry in supporting healthy ageing
- Independent Prescribing has grown significantly since it was integrated into Scotland’s General Ophthalmic Services. In early 2011 there were just 17 IP-qualified optometrists in Scotland. By 2025, this had increased to around 600.
Although eye care activity has grown significantly over the last two decades, Public Health Scotland data show that people living in more deprived areas remain less likely to attend for an eye examination, highlighting the importance of continuing efforts to improve equitable access to care.
Twenty years on from the introduction of General Ophthalmic Services, community optometry has become an established part of Scotland’s primary care landscape. The latest statistics demonstrate a profession that continues to adapt, innovate and deliver high-quality care to patients across the country.
As we celebrate GOS 20, we also look to the future and the opportunities to further strengthen community eye care in Scotland.