From October, NHS England will be rolling out OCT into the NHS Diabetic Eye Screening Programme. The aim is that by October 2025 all services will offer OCT.
OCT gives more accurate results so fewer patients will need a referral to hospital eye services. Patients at low risk of developing eye problems can instead be seen by their local screening provider. Each provider will identify the small number of people who might need hospital treatment, making the referral process more efficient and freeing up hospital capacity.
