Commissioners should use budget controls to properly resource hospital eye services, with guidance clarifying follow-up impacts, ensuring payment limits support NICE standards.
First published: 3 August 2026
UHL increased anti-VEGF injection capacity by 67% through community-based injection clinics, expanded multidisciplinary roles and imaging-led virtual clinics and screening.
First published: 30 July 2026
Our response to the 2026 DHSC consultation on reforming GMC's legislative framework.
First published: 1 June 2026
The College supports reform of driving vision standards while not yet endorsing a specific testing model.
First published: 1 April 2026
College response to Welsh Government’s response to their inquiry report: a concerning lack of urgency to the challenges facing ophthalmology services.
First published: 25 February 2026
Proposing use of a single point of access model and other digital solutions for primary and secondary care within each integrated care system to overcome barriers to interoperability.
First published: 16 February 2026
AI tools should be adopted in NHS settings via an iterative process, with services conducting regular audits, quality assurance and inclusive patient engagement.
First published: 1 February 2026
Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust innovated the use of SPARC (Single Point of Access and Referral Communication) to enable rapid clinical triage, two-way feedback between primary care refer
Last updated or reviewed: 1 July 2026
Concise practice points on identifying, referring and managing post-operative macular oedema after intra-ocular surgery to support timely diagnosis, treatment escalation and more consistent care.
Last updated or reviewed: 4 January 2026
When post-operative day one review after vitrectomy may be omitted, considered or advised balancing patient safety, follow-up burden and risk of raised IOP
Last updated or reviewed: 2 January 2026
A clear blueprint to help providers and trainers enable appropriate and safe cataract training within the independent sector, while maintaining patient safety and excellent outcomes.
First published: 1 January 2026
The College supported reducing cataract prices by 20%, recycling savings into complex ophthalmology care.
First published: 1 December 2025
West Yorkshire’s digital eye care referral platform has sped up triage, cut unnecessary referrals and reduced admin, with nearly all optometry practices now using a secure single point of access.
First published: 1 December 2025
Three scalable models to shift suitable eye care from hospitals to community, with consultant oversight, SPoA triage and resourcing: community diagnostic centres, enhanced optometry and surgical hubs.
First published: 10 November 2025
Ophthalmology clinical negligence claims are rising. Prevention, equitable care, commissioning reform and reinvestment in workforce, digital pathways and triage can cut costs and improve care.
First published: 4 November 2025
Response to DHSE raises concerns about the use of pilocarpine, atropine, homatropine and diclofenac sodium by optometrists.
First published: 1 November 2025
Ophthalmologists remain vital for complex eye care, but rising disease and workforce shortages mean Scotland needs more training places, expanded training routes and stronger retention.
First published: 15 October 2025
The College calls for reforms to NHS cataract funding and commissioning to curb uncontrolled ISP spending and ensure resources reflect clinical need and public value.
First published: 2 October 2025
Find out how Ninewells Hospital’s ISBCS cataract pathway doubled throughput, reduced referral-to-listing waits from 180 to 11 days, cut visits and improved patient experience.
First published: 1 October 2025
Safely delivering this shift will require effective governance and quality assurance arrangements, improved IT interoperability and robust strategic commissioning.
First published: 1 October 2025
The continuing improvement in the availability of cataract training placements in ISPs is a positive story of the progress that can be made with focused collaborative work. Approximately 130 placement
First published: 1 September 2025
Supports safe, efficient, high‑flow surgery across all case complexity. It provides a practical framework for teams and service leaders to deliver consistent, patient‑centred care.
Last updated or reviewed: 1 September 2025
Practical, evidence-based actions to implement without compromising patient safety or outcomes, these recommendations offer a roadmap to a greener future.
Last updated or reviewed: 1 September 2025
The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, together with signatories from across the eye care and wider health sector, calls for urgent national action to standardise EHRs in eye care services.
First published: 1 July 2025
Bristol Eye Hospital piloted an Enhanced Macular Referral Service where community optometrists send clinical details of patients with urgent and routine macular pathology to the retinal team for remot
First published: 1 May 2025
The One Devon Elective Pilot cut waiting lists by performing same-day cataract surgeries, streamlining medical retina and glaucoma pathways, making better use of theatre space and improving teamwork.
First published: 1 May 2025
The National Clinical Strategy for Ophthalmology proposed as the solution to the Senedd Cymru Health and Social Care Committee.
First published: 1 March 2025
Guidance on referral of patients with suspected ocular tumours to nationally designated adult ocular oncology and retinoblastoma services.
Last updated or reviewed: 1 February 2025
Access to cataract training in the independent sector has improved; placements are available in all regions where ISPs operate, other than London North. Despite this progress, trainees in nearly all r
First published: 1 November 2024
Last updated or reviewed: 1 October 2024
Best available data on incidence and prevalence for over 250 eye conditions, and the optimum multi-disciplinary workforce needed.
Last updated or reviewed: 1 April 2026
Last updated or reviewed: 2 September 2024
Evidence-based guidance for ophthalmologists on the assessment and management of macular holes. Supports consistent clinical decision-making, surgical planning and patient counselling.
Last updated or reviewed: 1 September 2024
Support for the pathway, stressing uptake monitoring, early innovator-assessor dialogue, and safe, equitable AI adoption through audit, QA and patient engagement.
First published: 5 August 2024
Guidance and requirements for RCOphth approval of job plans for NHSconsultant ophthalmologist posts
Last updated or reviewed: 1 August 2024
RCOphth’s guidance and requirements for approving and job plans for NHS Specialty Doctor ophthalmologist posts.
Last updated or reviewed: 1 August 2024
Checklist for specialsty ophthalmologist job descriptions for RCOphth approval.
Last updated or reviewed: 1 August 2024
RCOphth’s guidance and requirements for approving and job plans for NHS Specialist Doctor ophthalmologist posts.
Last updated or reviewed: 1 August 2024
Checklist fpr guidance and requirements for approving and job plans for NHS Specialist Doctor ophthalmologist posts.
Last updated or reviewed: 1 August 2024
Last updated or reviewed: 1 July 2024
Following analysis and consultation with training programme directors, this position paper summarises our recommendations to ensure an ophthalmology workforce fit for the future.
First published: 1 May 2024
AI can transform ophthalmology services, and its adoption must be safe, equitable, clinically led, with regular audit, patient engagement, digital integration, workforce capacity and robust governance
First published: 1 May 2024
Guidance on good practice for urgent and emergency secondary ophthalmic care. Principles for such care delivered in the community.
Last updated or reviewed: 1 May 2024
Clinical data set for intraocular pressure lowering procedures in glaucoma and ocular hypertension.
Last updated or reviewed: 1 May 2024
The tool monitors and helps avoid incidents of harm happening to patients under the care of the NHS. For ophthalmology, this focus has been on the surgical never events.
First published: 2 April 2024
Guidance on using ophthalmic pathology services, including what specimens to send, reporting standards, and practical handling.
Last updated or reviewed: 1 March 2024
For ophthalmologists assessing suspected abusive head trauma in infants and children. Covers retinal findings, differential diagnosis and safeguarding.
Last updated or reviewed: 1 January 2024
It is positive that training opportunities are being provided by ISPs in 71% of the deaneries in which they operate, and that residents' experience of this training has been positive. However, with ju
First published: 1 December 2023
Concise practice points for clinicians managing cataract surgery in people living with dementia. Covers decision-making, consent, peri-operative care and pathway design to support safe, timely surgery
Last updated or reviewed: 1 November 2023
Guidance on consent and treatment checks for intravitreal injections supporting safer, more consistent process for documenting material risks.
Last updated or reviewed: 30 September 2023