Save our Sight (SOS): a collective call-to-action for enhanced retinal care across health systems in high income countries.

As the population ages, more people are expected to develop age-related eye conditions, including neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and diabetic eye disease. Advances in treatment have improved care for these conditions, but they have also increased demand for eye care services.

This paper explores how healthcare systems can prepare for this growing demand. Experts and patient advocates from eight high-income countries shared their views, which were supported by published research and reviewed by the wider eye care community.

The findings highlighted challenges such as limited healthcare resources and capacity, which can make it difficult for patients to receive timely and appropriate treatment.

The authors call for healthcare professionals, policymakers and patient groups to work together to develop sustainable solutions. These could include improving how services are organised, tailoring care to individual needs, reducing the burden of frequent treatments and making access to care fairer.

Loewenstein A, Berger A, Daly A, Creuzot-Garcher C, Gale R, Ricci F, Zarranz-Ventura J, Guymer R. Save our Sight (SOS): a collective call-to-action for enhanced retinal care across health systems in high income countries. Eye (Lond). 2023 Nov;37(16):3351-3359. doi: 10.1038/s41433-023-02540-w. Epub 2023 Jun 6. Erratum in: Eye (Lond). 2024 Feb;38(2):408. doi: 10.1038/s41433-023-02662-1. PMID: 37280350; PMCID: PMC10630379.