Optometry Scotland

Today we began exhibiting in the Scottish Parliament to highlight the impact of low vision and the case for a Community Low Vision Service in Scotland. If you’re an MSP or stakeholder, please come along and speak to us when we exhibit tomorrow. And to our members, thank you!

Members of the public shared positive experiences with their optometrists and welcomed the idea of CLVS being available locally. One person highlighted the importance of attending eye examinations With thanks to Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans for their support.

What would Low Vision mean for your independence? In this video, we ask the public what they know about the reality that around 1 in 30 people in Scotland live with sight loss face. Created with Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans.

Low vision affects more than the individual, it impacts the people who love and support them. In this video, a member of the public shares their experience of their mother, who lived with macular degeneration. A reminder of why accessible support in the community matters.

What does low vision mean? We took to the streets of Edinburgh to find out the public understanding of low vision, and to highlight the need for accessible, community-based low vision services. Thank you to Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans for helping us

Reminder re Slit lamp grant funding via PCA(O)2026(03)! To be eligible, the portable slit lamp must be ordered between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026 and must be in your possession by 31 March 2026. See more on our website here: optometryscotland.org.uk/2026/03/20/sli…

We’re hosting a Low Vision exhibition on the 24th and 25th of March to highlight the impact of sight loss! If you’re an MSP or stakeholder, please do pop by and see the exhibition. Every conversation helps strengthen the case for better low vision support across Scotland.

This Brain Tumour Awareness Week, we are raising awareness of the role that vision can play as an early sign of neurological disease. Regular NHS-funded eye examinations can identify changes and support referral into specialist care. Early detection can be life changing.

We are pleased to spotlight Iffat Malik, optometrist at Black & Lizars! Read more here: optometryscotland.org.uk/2026/03/10/mem… We would love to celebrate the work of optometrists across Scotland. Please contact the OS office to submit your spotlight office@optometryscotland.org.uk 💌

Clinic in Session with Eilidh! Eilidh explains the common causes and symptoms of low vision, including macular degeneration, one of the leading causes of sight loss in the UK. Please help us raise awareness by sharing!

PCA(O)2026(03) is now available. Log in to the Members Hub on the Optometry Scotland website to view the full document. For ease, an Optometry Scotland one-page summary is also available to accompany the PCA and highlight the key points. More here: optometryscotland.org.uk/2026/03/10/pca…

Following our CLVS blog, we’re sharing lessons from the Low Vision Service in Wales, delivering care closer to home through community optometry. It’s a proven model and one we believe could be adapted for Scotland, improving local access. Read here: optometryscotland.org.uk/2026/02/27/os-…

World Glaucoma Week highlights the importance of early detection and ongoing monitoring in preventing avoidable sight loss from glaucoma. At OS, we champion prevention, local access and investment in community-based services that protect sight and strengthen NHS capacity.

On International Women’s Day, we celebrate the women working across the optometry and eye care sector in Scotland. Get to know more about Eilidh Thomson and Kathryn Trimmer and the role they play in supporting community optometry Read here: optometryscotland.org.uk/2026/03/06/os-…

Clinic in session Eilidh watch the short video explaining what low vision is and how optometrists diagnose it during an eye examination. Watch the video to learn more and help spread the word by sharing with your patients and communities. Thanks Eilidh! 👏

Today is World Book Day, which celebrates the joy of reading and the power books have to inform and inspire our imaginations. At OS, low vision remains a key strategic priority, and we continue to work with partners to strengthen community low vision services across Scotland.

Did you know? Around 1 in 30 people in Scotland are living with sight loss. That’s over 180,000 people whose daily lives are affected by their vision. This highlights why accessible, community-based eye care and timely support matter.

World Hearing Day highlights the importance of protecting our hearing and the wider role that sensory health plays in overall wellbeing. At OS, we champion a preventative, local approach to eye care that supports people’s sensory health across over the course of their lives.

Thanks to Elaine for visiting Braidwood Primary in Lanarkshire to speak with pupils about optometry. The children were full of questions and keen to learn about how we care for people’s vision and eye health. It is always inspiring to see that level of curiosity at a young age!

New Blog Alert! Lessons from Wales: Building a Community Low Vision Service in Scotland Thank you to Optometry Wales for the 5 Nations Update, which enabled this reflection, and for sharing insight on the Welsh Low Vision Service. Read more: optometryscotland.org.uk/2026/02/27/os-…