Boots Opticians has officially launched the Optos optomap in its practices, with the technology soon to be available in more than 120 sites.
A launch event celebrating the rollout of the technology brought together science, lifestyle, and healthcare media to hear more about optomap and to experience the scan.
Boots Opticians highlighted the role that the optomap technology could play in supporting optometrists to detect early signs of health conditions, including ocular tumours, hypertension and diabetes.
Kyle Rowe, managing director of Boots Opticians, opened the speeches by sharing how the introduction of optomap into practices fits into the wider Boots Opticians strategy, including making healthcare more affordable and focusing further on prevention.
Rowe said: “This innovative technology not only gives patients a more detailed eye exam compared to traditional eye tests, but it can give a more accurate picture of their health, detecting early signs of many serious health conditions.”
“This is transformative in terms of empowering patients to be able to make more informed decisions about their overall health,” he added.
The group noted that more than 1.2 million adults in the UK are believed to have undiagnosed type 2 diabetes, while around 5 million adults in the country are thought to have undiagnosed hypertension.
John Hopcroft, clinical services proposition manager for Boots Opticians, shared a history of the invention of optomap and outlined the rollout of the technology into practices, as well as the benefits for optometrists.
Boots Opticians believes it is the first High Street multiple in the UK to adopt optomap. Hopcroft shared: “By making this technology more accessible on the High Street, we hope to educate customers on their eye health and overall health so that they can be more aware of the importance of proactive healthcare and also recognising the importance of regular eye tests.”
Speaking to OT, Hopcroft explained that the decision to roll out the technology was made following positive feedback from patients and practitioners who tested the device in a few practices.
“The rollout is progressing well and since September we have implemented optomap in over 100 stores. We plan to have this technology in over 120 of our Boots Opticians stores nationwide by March 2025,” he said.
Dr Philippa Kaye, GP and author, also spoke at the event, highlighting the importance of regular eye tests as part of an overall health check, describing the optomap as “game-changing” in supporting optometrists to detect signs of underlying conditions allowing for earlier diagnosis and treatment.
Kaye shared that seeking medical advice, taking prescribed medications, and attending routine optometry and dental appointments form part of self-care.
The optomap scan will now form part of the Boots Opticians Ultimate eye test, along with an optical coherence tomography scan and eye test.
Hopcroft told OT: “Often I use an analogy when describing the two. If looking into the eye is like looking at the surface of a cake, then optomap allows us to visualise as much of the surface of the cake as possible, the OCT allows us to see a smaller cross section telling us about the individual layers of the retina.”
More than 15,000 patients have had the new Ultimate eye test from Boots Opticians.
To support the installation of the new technology, practice teams have received a mixture of in-person and online training, along with team engagement sessions.
“Optometrists are a highly skilled workforce bringing convenient access to eye care for customers in our local optical practices and optomap helps to build on this by supporting our optometrists to further their diagnostic ability,” Hopcroft shared, describing the optomap as a “powerful referral tool.”
Boots Opticians shared the story of Robert Rapier, a patient who was diagnosed with a large melanoma following an optomap scan.
He said: “Following a routine eye test, my optometrist urgently referred me to an ophthalmologist where they conducted an optomap scan – something I hadn’t heard of before.”
“I didn’t have any visible symptoms, but the scan revealed a freckle which was in fact a hidden melanoma in my eye,” Rapier shared, adding: “I was worried, but thanks to the early detection I was able to receive prompt treatment from an ophthalmologist.”
Rapier suggested the optomap scan “quite simply saved my life,” encouraging others to take advantage of the technology.
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