With long waiting lists for patients needing treatment continuing to grow, the pressure on eye care provision in the UK is more intense than ever. The advancement of a joined-up service that sees optometrists and ophthalmologists collaborating more closely would go a long way to easing the NHS burden and tackling this encroaching health crisis.

So The New Optometrist – in partnership with The Ophthalmologist – has created The Collaborative Eye Care Award to recognize and reward projects that aim to close the gap between optometry and ophthalmology and drive real change in the eye care space.

UK-based teams that have completed or are working on projects that boost eye care through collaboration are welcome. Suitable projects include those that improve patient outcomes in primary care, establish a new reimbursement model, find new ways of sharing data and information, advance specialist knowledge, or change the cultural mindset to bring optometrists, dispensing opticians, and ophthalmologists closer together.