Sight Loss and Vision

This PSP was led by a Steering Group headed by representatives from Fight for Sight, the College of Optometrists, Vision UK, and the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital. It also included representatives of patient/service user groups and healthcare professionals from ophthalmology, optometry, orthoptics, ophthalmic nursing and social care.

2,220 people responded to the survey, generating 4,461 questions. With questions across different eye diseases and conditions, it was decided that 12 final priority setting workshops would take place during April and May 2013. 17% of survey respondents identified themselves as healthcare professionals and over 60% of the respondents were people with sight loss or an eye condition.

See news from this PSP: September 2016, May 2016, September 2015.

The Sight Loss and Vision PSP Top 10s were published in May 2013.

Karen Bonstein, a Manager at the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital said:

"Our experience of being involved in a JLA PSP has been transformational. Having access to an impartial, professionally facilitated process with national reach that encourages open submissions from patient-support charities, members of the public, professional bodies, and healthcare professionals proved to be a multi-faceted journey.

The end result provides a practical set of research priorities agreed by all parties that can be referenced for project and funding development purposes but the process itself delivers so much more: generating interesting debate with unexpected outcomes; seeding long-lasting allegiances between the public, healthcare professionals, charitable and professional bodies; promoting enhanced understanding across a whole sector about public concerns, research opportunities and challenges. A great deal of work and commitment are required but worth every minute!"