National Eye Health Week 2025

From 22 to 28 September 2025, the UK will mark National Eye Health Week (NEHW), a campaign led by Eye Health UK under the Vision Matters banner. This annual event is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of good eye health, promoting regular eye tests, and highlighting how eye care can detect broader health issues such as diabetes, hypertension, and glaucoma. More than just a public health initiative, National Eye Health Week brings together healthcare professionals, educators, employers, regulators, and communities to highlight an often-overlooked aspect of well-being that affects millions of people across the UK.

For highly regulated organisations, whether in health and social care, education, public services, or the workplace, eye health is not just a matter of personal well-being. It is closely tied to safety, duty of care, equality legislation, regulatory standards, and organisational reputation. Neglecting eye health can lead to compliance breaches, increased risk of accidents, and missed opportunities to support vulnerable groups.

In this blog, Anna Nova Galeon will explore the official themes and focus areas of National Eye Health Week 2025, examine the latest statistics on sight loss and preventable conditions, and outline the practical implications for regulated organisations. We’ll also share actionable strategies that can help you align with best practices, demonstrate compliance during inspections, and foster a culture of prevention and inclusivity.

The official themes and focus areas for 2025

The 2025 campaign runs from 22–28 September and focuses on daily themes to target specific aspects of eye health, including:

• Primary eye care services

• Children’s eye health

• Sports vision

• Eyes at work

• Ageing eyes

• Live well to see well.

This focus aligns with the NHS 10-Year Plan, which prioritises prevention, access to care, and tackling health inequalities (Vision Matters 2025; ABDO 2025).

Key statistics - Why eye health matters now

• Sight loss prevalence - Over 2 million people in the UK live with sight loss that significantly affects daily life (RNIB 2025)

• Avoidability - Around half of sight loss cases are preventable with early detection and treatment (Vision Matters 2025)

• Ageing and risk - Most people with sight loss are over 65, highlighting age as a key risk factor (RNIB 2025)

• Health linkages - Routine eye tests can detect severe conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure (Vision Matters 2025)

• Future demand - The RNIB forecasts a 27% rise in sight loss cases by 2035, with demand for NHS services expected to rise sharply (RNIB, 2025).

These statistics show why regulated organisations cannot ignore eye health - doing so not only risks individual well-being but also exposes organisations to compliance and reputational risks.

Practical implications for highly regulated organisations

Eye health is not only a personal well-being issue but also a compliance and governance priority. For organisations in regulated sectors, ignoring vision care can undermine safety, equality, and accountability. National Eye Health Week 2025 is therefore an opportunity to embed proactive measures into everyday practice. Below are four key areas where regulated organisations can take practical steps to protect sight, reduce risk, and demonstrate compliance:

1. Health and social care

• Integrate regular eye health checks into care planning

• Adjust environments to ensure they have good lighting, clear signage, and safe layouts

• Train staff to recognise and respond to signs of vision deterioration

• Evidence compliance through precise documentation and safeguarding measures.

2. Education and early years

• Encourage uptake of free NHS eye tests for children

• Provide accessible resources (large print, coloured overlays, digital tools)

• Include eye health awareness within safeguarding and SEND strategies.

3. Workplaces and occupational health

• Conduct Display Screen Equipment (DSE) assessments and offer regular eye tests

• Provide reasonable adjustments (screen magnifiers, software, flexible working)

• Embed NEHW “Eyes at Work” messaging into well-being campaigns.

4. Governance, equality and legal duties

• Ensure compliance with the Equality Act 2010 by making reasonable adjustments

• Demonstrate person-centred care and inclusion under CQC and Ofsted frameworks

• Incorporate eye health into diversity and corporate responsibility strategies.

Barriers and how to overcome them

Even with strong campaigns like National Eye Health Week, many people still face obstacles that prevent them from accessing regular eye care. These challenges can limit prevention, delay treatment, and widen health inequalities. For regulated organisations, recognising these barriers is the first step to addressing them effectively. The table below outlines some of the most common obstacles and practical ways to overcome them:

Compliance and risk considerations

For regulated organisations, eye health links directly to compliance outcomes:

• Inspections - CQC and Ofsted expect evidence of equality, inclusion, and risk reduction

• Legal liability - Neglecting eye health could contribute to workplace accidents or safeguarding failures

• Operational costs - Preventable sight loss increases care costs, reduces productivity, and damages trust.

Embedding eye health into compliance frameworks reduces these risks while improving well-being outcomes.

Conclusion

National Eye Health Week 2025 is more than a health awareness campaign - it is a timely reminder of how closely well-being, safety, and compliance are interlinked. For individuals, it is about protecting one of our most precious senses through regular eye tests and proactive care. For highly regulated organisations, however, it is also about embedding eye health into the very fabric of governance, policies, and daily practices.

By aligning with official campaign themes, drawing on the latest data, and addressing barriers to access, organisations can show regulators, staff, service users, and broader communities that they take eye health seriously. This goes beyond tick-box compliance - it demonstrates a genuine commitment to inclusivity, equality, and person-centred care.

Neglecting eye health risks is more than just poor outcomes for individuals; it can compromise safety, damage trust, and expose organisations to regulatory or legal consequences. On the other hand, proactive strategies, such as DSE assessments and safeguarding in schools, as well as accessible environments in care settings, can improve outcomes, reduce risk, and strengthen an organisation's reputation.

In a sector where inspection readiness and accountability are crucial, National Eye Health Week presents a valuable opportunity to demonstrate leadership. Organisations that build eye health into their compliance culture are not only protecting vision but also safeguarding futures.

Stay compliant and confident with ComplyPlus™

At The Mandatory Training Group, we know that awareness is only the first step - compliance requires robust systems, clear evidence, and consistent training. That’s why we created ComplyPlus™, our all-in-one compliance ecosystem.

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• Track and evidence mandatory training in safeguarding, health and safety, and equality

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• Demonstrate compliance with CQC, Ofsted, HSE, and Equality Act standards at the click of a button.