National Eye Health Epidemiological Model (NEHEM)

NEHEM is a  web-based tool that, for the first time, provides reliable prevalence data for common eye conditions in an easy to use format. The model provides scientific estimates of the number of people with the following conditions:

• Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
• Cataract
• Glaucoma
• Low Vision

Based on epidemiological and population studies, the data is split by a number of different administrative areas in the UK. The data for England can be broken down by Primary Care Trust (PCT) area and by Strategic Health Authority (SHA) region. The model is aimed at assisting commissioners and eye care service providers identify local need, however anyone with an interest in eye care such as policy makers, patient groups and clinicians, can access the data.

NEHEM was  developed by the Public Health Action Support Team (PHAST) at Imperial College, London, having been commissioned by the representative optical bodies and funded by the Central  (LOC)  Fund.

Please click on the following link to access the site: www.eyehealthmodel.org.uk.

Various groups of users will want to use the data in different ways.   LOCs/ROCs, commissioners of local services, local optical professionals and charities involved with low vision or sight loss may  wish to use the data to highlight the need for services in a particular area.   The use of NEHEM is not limited to these groups.   The developers envisage that it will become an extremely useful tool for policy makers, clinicians and the health press also.