Free health service eyesight tests are to be cut from every year to every two years.

Island health chiefs announced the move as the Department of Health and Social Care admitted that is had dipped £1m into the red in in the first few months of the financial year.

But opticians say there’s no need to worry.

The DHSC says the move will bring the Isle of Man into line with England, Wales and Scotland.

The change is part of the DHSC’s eye care strategy, which has been developed with local medical representatives and optometrists.

Until now, the DHSC has funded sight tests for patients every year if requested but this is more frequent than recommended by experts.

Those with certain conditions will continue to have their sight monitored on an annual basis or more frequently if required and optometrists will be free to carry out tests at different intervals if they decide it’s clinically necessary.

The DHSC says the change is in line with College of Optometrists’ recommendations and is supported by the Isle of Man Association of Optometrists and Registered Opticians.

Association chairman Ian Hodgson said: ’By extending the standard interval between sight tests from one to two years, we’re simply implementing best practice elsewhere in the British Isles.

’It became clear during consultation on the strategy that the change was overdue. In future, people will be examined at the most appropriate intervals, freeing-up our capacity to help those with the greatest clinical need, and provide enhanced services like the Minor Eye Conditions Scheme (MECS).

’There’s no cause for concern, as those who need more regular tests will have them -there are many safeguards in the new regime.’

A number of other developments in eye care are in place or due to come on stream soon.

A streamlined referral system allowing opticians to refer directly into Noble’s Hospital instead of via a patient’s GP will start on October 1, as the sight test interval change takes effect. The less ’clunky’ process aims to improve services for patients and is supported both by optometrists and GPs.

An overhaul of ophthalmology waiting lists at Noble’s Hospital has brought dramatic improvement, the DHSC claims.

A single waiting list has replaced individual consultant lists, cutting the wait for an appointment from 24 months to 13 months, with scope for further reductions in future.

Elsewhere, what the DHSC calls an ’up-skilling initiative’ to establish a nurse-led service is set to expand capability and meet growing demand in the ophthalmology department.

A cohort of clinical nurse specialists is currently being trained to offer a range of services, including clinics and minor operations.

In the longer term there are plans to fund high street optometrists to care for people with minor eye conditions in the community and to carry out diabetic retinal screening, relieving pressure on the hospital’s ophthalmology department.