Waiting times for people to see a specialist who are suspected of having glaucoma have been nearly halved in Bolton thanks to a new initiative with local opticians.

Specsavers in Bolton is participating in the glaucoma enhanced referral service (GERS) which means people with suspected glaucoma are first seen by an optometrist in the local community rather than having to wait for a hospital appointment.

This helps to reduce the number of people referred for specialist care who do not actually have glaucoma, freeing up hospital appointments.

Matthew Thornton, Specsavers Bolton optometrist director, says: ‘When the initiative was first introduced, the average waiting time for a routine glaucoma appointment at Royal Bolton Hospital was around 72 weeks.

‘Since the pandemic there has been a significant increase in the waiting list for glaucoma. There is a shortage of medical practitioners able to deliver the service in eye hospitals.’

The GERS initiative was introduced in October 2022 and in that time waiting lists for routine glaucoma referrals has dropped below 40 weeks.

Matthew, who has completed a professional qualification in glaucoma, is encouraging other optometrists to enrol so they can play a vital part in glaucoma management in Bolton.

‘The fact that we are making a tangible difference to the hospital waiting time is exceptionally rewarding,’ says Matthew.

Glaucoma is a common eye condition where the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain, becomes damaged. While glaucoma typically becomes more common with age, Specsavers’ data shows the condition which can lead to vision loss if not detected and treated early, can affect people of all ages.