The government will invest £20m to digitise eye referrals from high-street optometrists in England and speed access to specialist care.
Community optometrists will be able to refer patients directly into NHS hospital eye services through digital systems.
Optometrists are eye care professionals who test vision, spot eye conditions and prescribe glasses or contact lenses.
They will also be able to refer patients to NHS Online when the virtual service launches next year.
Access to relevant patient records is intended to support faster and more accurate clinical decisions.
The government said the changes should reduce unnecessary referrals and cut the number of patients needing a separate GP appointment before seeing a specialist.
Every optical practice in England with an NHS contract will receive access to the NHS e-Referral Service and the National Care Record Service.
The government aims to achieve 100 per cent access by April 2028.
The NHS e-Referral Service allows healthcare professionals to refer patients electronically for specialist care.
The National Care Record Service gives authorised professionals access to relevant patient information held across different health and care settings.
The £20m investment will also fund training and support to help optical practices use the systems.
Stephen Kinnock, health and care minister, said: “For too long, patients have faced unnecessary delays, avoidable trips to hospital and a fragmented system that hasn’t put their needs first. That changes from today.
“This £20m investment will bring eye care closer to home, equipping high-street optometrists with the digital tools they need to refer patients faster and more accurately
“This is exactly the kind of modernisation that will help shift the NHS from a one-size-fits-all, hospital-first model to one that is community-based, preventative and truly fit for the future.”
The government said areas already using digital referral systems have recorded falls in GP referrals for eye care.
It said a national rollout could reduce pressure on the wider health system and free GP appointments for other patients.
Alongside the investment, NHS England has published the Getting It Right First Time glaucoma best practice guidance, the first of its kind for England.
Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain. Without timely treatment, it can cause permanent sight loss.
The guidance is intended to improve early diagnosis and help hundreds of thousands of patients receive follow-up appointments on time and closer to home.
Prof Tim Briggs, GIRFT programme lead and NHS England national director for clinical improvement, elective recovery and urgent and emergency care, said: “We must do everything we can to reduce the risk of avoidable sight loss which can have a huge impact on people’s independence.
“Alongside new investment, our new national NHS guidance for glaucoma care will benefit hundreds of thousands of patients, ensuring they receive earlier diagnosis and follow-up care closer to home, while helping to clear the backlog.”
Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has used a high-volume virtual pathway since 2021.
At the time it was introduced, the trust had about 4,000 glaucoma patients in its backlog and waits of nine months for new appointments.
Elizabeth Wilkinson, consultant ophthalmologist at the trust, said the backlog had since been cleared and new patients were being seen within weeks.
She said: “We’ve been using a high volume, virtual pathway in Devon since 2021. At that time, we had about 4000 glaucoma patients in our backlog queue and nine month waits for new appointments.
“Using these transformational methods, we can now proudly say we have cleared our glaucoma backlog and see new patients within weeks. Our patients have much shorter 45-minute appointments, compared to two-three hours previously. They universally praise the new service saying, ‘this is the way the NHS should be run’.
“We believe that we should be able deliver ‘on time, every time’ and the GIRFT best practice guide will help other services to do exactly that – whatever the hospital size, location and current performance position.”
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of preventable sight loss in the UK.
Late detection or delayed follow-up can result in permanent damage, affecting patients’ independence, employment and quality of life.
NHS England said implementing the guidance across England could help hundreds of thousands of people receive follow-up care on time.
Joanne Creighton, chief executive of Glaucoma UK, said: “The publication of the GIRFT guidance is an important step for glaucoma care at a time when services are under real pressure. Improving early detection, strengthening referral pathways and making better use of digital systems all have the potential to create a more joined-up and less stressful experience for patients.
“The recommendation in the national guidance to refer patients to Glaucoma UK also reinforces what people living with glaucoma tell us consistently – that good care goes beyond diagnosis, monitoring and treatment, and depends on access to clear, trusted information and support at every stage.”
Rob Cooper, head of strategic engagement and implementation at RNIB, said: “We welcome today’s publication of a clear, evidence-based framework to improve how glaucoma is detected and managed for patients. Over a million people in the UK live with glaucoma, but too many people are unaware they have it, and once detected, follow up care and support can be delayed, putting people’s sight at risk.
“The announcement of new funding to improve connectivity has the potential to improve the eye care which patients receive – if the appropriate digital capabilities are enabled this could prevent the need to repeat scans, for instance, when images can’t be shared between different settings. This improved connectivity could at the same time enable the speedy referral of patients to emotional and practical support from charities like RNIB, which we know is a critical component to living well with sight loss.”
Daniel Hardiman-McCartney, clinical adviser at the College of Optometrists, said: “We were pleased to contribute to the new GIRFT guidance for glaucoma care. The guidance has a clear emphasis on the vital role of primary care optometry in identifying and managing patients closer to home, helping prevent avoidable sight loss.”
