“We can prevent sight loss at the moment, but so much of it is not addressed”

The Eyes Have It is a partnership of Macular Society, Fight for Sight/Vision Foundation, RNIB, Association of Optometrists, The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, and Roche. Roche has funded the activities of the partnership.

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Peter Bloomfield, director of research at the Macular Society, joined The Eyes Have It campaigning group early in 2024, after previous member Cathy Yelf announced her retirement. 

 

Bloomfield, who has a background in scientific and health policy research, joined the group’s panel at 100% Optical to discuss how optometry can be used to aid preventative prevent avoidable sight loss.

OT caught up with him ahead of the panel.

You've recently joined The Eyes Have It, taking on the place previously held by Macular Society chief executive Cathy Yelf. When did you officially take on the role?

I joined the Macular Society in February 2023, and it was the first time they’d had a director of research. My role is to diversify the research programme, and make sure that we’re addressing lots of different areas and not just very early-stage academic and scientific research.

Through that, I got to know the The Eyes Have It, and started joining events in summer 2023. As research and technology becomes more a part of the narrative of The Eyes Have It, I’ve got more involved, and I’m trying to raise these issues.

What do you hope to bring to The Eyes Have It?

Really making sure that the national policy narrative around eye care and eye health is very much tied into research and technology, and making sure that whatever we learn from the community or in a population level, is being exploited either by new population-level screening, or new drug development and treatment stratification.

It’s about joining the two narratives, and making sure there is dedicated life sciences and research funding in ophthalmology, because it’s a bit neglected in the life sciences strategy at the moment.

It’s about joining the two narratives, and making sure there is dedicated life sciences and research funding in ophthalmology

Have you got any aims for 2024 specifically?

Our main research aim is to design and develop a clinical trials network approach. We’re in the process of looking more into digital technology – things around early detection and diagnosis, and then also support technology for people living with sight loss. While the clinical trials network is more of a strategy and design piece, the technology side of things is more of a practical development and operational piece.

Could you tell me about the focus of the The Eyes Have It’s 100% Optical panel?

It's around preventative eye care, and really seeing how we can use lots of different approaches to intervene earlier and make sure the preventable sight loss isn’t happening at the rate that it currently is. It is just so unnecessary. We can prevent sight loss at the moment, but so much of it is not addressed.

Read more about why Peter Bloomfield’s one policy ask for the new government is a focus on technology here.