Moorfields Eye Charity attends parliamentary launch of new children and young people’s eye-care pathway 

Hosted by Shockat Adam MP, in partnership with Guide Dogs, the event brought together representatives from across the vision health, education and charity sectors, alongside children, young people, parents and parliamentarians.

Several Labrador guide dogs – who quietly acknowledged one another before settling on the floor – added a warm and calming presence to the room.

The pathway, created collaboratively by over twenty organisations, offers a comprehensive framework designed to sit alongside the adult pathway. It outlines the full support journey – from first noticing a possible eye condition through to living well with sight loss.

Andrew Lennox, CEO of Guide Dogs, described it as a ​“vital roadmap for the future”. In his forwarding statement he wrote:

Shockat Adam MP, himself an optometrist, spoke about the challenges families face after a child receives a diagnosis.

He highlighted the emotional impact of having an eye condition, explaining that people with sight loss are more likely to experience depression, and stressed the inequality of current provision.

He noted that the level of support people receive is often ​“a postcode lottery”, and he emphasised the lack of work-experience opportunities for many young people with eye conditions.

Rachel Bone, an advocate for the pathway and a mother of three children with eye conditions, talked about her family’s experience with ocular albinism – a genetic condition affecting eye pigmentation and vision.

Rachel highlighted the need for clear information at the point of diagnosis and for consistency of care. She shared that things became easier for her family once all her children began receiving support from the same hospital.

She feels confident that her children will be better prepared now that teachers have access to a resource to help them understand and respond to the challenges faced by young people with eye conditions.

The pathway also provides welcome clarity for professionals. Claire Bradnock, a qualified teacher of children and young people with vision impairment, explained that after receiving a diagnosis, many families are ​“thrown out into the world without guidance.”

She noted that parents are not alone on this journey, adding that with the new pathway:

APPG Chair and MP Marsha De Cordova reflected on her personal experience of living with nystagmus – a condition that causes rapid, involuntary eye movements – saying:

She emphasised the importance of collaborative working to improve outcomes for future generations. By working together, we can help ensure every family, professional and young person has access to the guidance they need at the right time.

At Moorfields Eye Charity, we are committed to working collaboratively with our sector to raise the profile of eye-health research in the UK and the impact it has.

Earlier this year, Moorfields Eye Charity and the Medical Research Foundation announced a joint investment of £3.1 million to support 11 research projects focused on childhood, adolescent and young people’s eye health.

The funding aims to improve the diagnosis, treatment and long-term outcomes for people with various eye conditions. Two of the grants focus on improving health outcomes and mental wellbeing.

• Professor Jugnoo Rahi – an ophthalmologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital and an epidemiologist with a joint appointment at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology – is undertaking a cohort study to determine the health, educational and social outcomes of childhood eye conditions, to inform policies and care.

• Dr Michael Crossland – a senior research fellow at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology – is working to support mental health and wellbeing in children following sight-restoration therapies.