Daniel Hardiman-McCartney MBE

Person smiling in front of a red Labour Party background.

Individual smiling in front of a Liberal Democrats conference banner with the party's logo.

Smiling individual in front of a 'Welcome to CPC58 Conference' sign displayed on a large screen.

The College of Optometrists used this year’s major political party conferences to promote key messages about optometry and eye health to MPs and ministers, aligning discussions with the #NHS 10-year health plan.

See the full update on our website ➡️ https://coptom.uk/3IHjysA

Close-up of a black car's front section, highlighting the sleek design of the headlight and grille against a gray background.

As part of our joint work calling for mandatory eye tests for all drivers at licence application and each renewal, @collegeoptomuk.bsky.social & The AOP have published our five core principles for implementing vision standards, changes that could make roads safer ➡️ https://coptom.uk/3JfsepO

Daniel Hardiman-McCartney MBE FCOptom smiling while taking a selfie in front of a presentation screen displaying a slide titled "AI in eye care: Steering the for future safety" at a conference.

Participants seated at round tables during a conference, engaging in discussion. Two screens display AI presentation slides in the background.

Sandra Holmes standing in front of a 'Welcome' banner for The College of Optometrists, smiling at the camera.

A conference stand for The College of Optometrists featuring a welcome banner, a table covered with informational brochures, and promotional materials.

👋 Thanks to everyone who stopped by at the #BootsOpticians conference!

We connected with eye care professionals, explored the future of education & hosted our session '#AI in eye care: Steering the future safely'.

We'll see you at more events across the UK!

#CollegeOnTheRoad

Promotional poster for National Eye Health Week featuring the characters Topsy and Tim from children's literature, with illustrations of eye tests being conducted. The poster includes the slogan "Vision Matters" and the website visionmatters.org.uk.

Two children smiling and reading a book titled "Topsy and Tim Have Their Eyes Tested."

A child reading a "Topsy and Tim Have Their Eyes Tested" book while seated on a blue couch.

📚 This #NationalEyeHealthWeek we’ve teamed up with Eye Health UK to gift school-based nurseries across England the book 'Topsy & Tim Have Their Eyes Tested!'

Eye tests are free for children under 16 through the #NHS, helping to spot problems early ➡️ https://coptom.uk/4gHkR7p

The Peptide Craze The Surge in Use of Off-Label and Non-FDA Approved Peptides

There's been a big surge of people getting injections of biologically active peptides without data to support their use or FDA approval (and off-label use). I've written about the status of 15 of them here, along with NAD+.
erictopol.substack.com/p/the-peptid...

Close-up of a person having an eye test with equipment in a clinical setting

We welcome the updated #NHS10YearPlan and its focus on neighbourhood-based, preventative care.

#TheCollegeofOptometrists sets out how #optometrists, already embedded in communities, can support delivery with funded, enhanced services that improve outcomes ➡️ coptom.uk/3U0AITH

🎙️👀Talking eyes & saving sight on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire with Chris Mann! Glaucoma can affect anyone and often shows no symptoms. Early detection is essential to protect your sight. #IAmAnOptometrist #Glaucoma #GlaucomaAwareness

Supporting our youngest children - Health Professionals For Safer Screens Our advice as health professionals is that the harms of smartphone use are overwhelming and increasing and outweigh any benefits.

📱💬 “We’re at the same tipping point as we were with seat belts & smoking – only this time, it’s screens.” Powerful words from Dr Becky Foljambe & Jo Frost in the Summer of Connections guide.

A must-read for parents this summer ⬇️
#ChildHealth healthprofessionalsforsaferscreens.org/resources/re...

Evidence gaps remain for AI eye imaging devices approved for patient care Regulator-approved AI models used in eye care vary widely in providing evidence for clinical performance and lack transparency about training data, including details of gender, age and ethnicity, acco...

📢 New study from @ucl.ac.uk : AI devices for l imaging are hitting the market, but evidence gaps remain.

“How do we ensure safe, effective, equitable use of AI in eyecare? We must hold AI tools to the same high standards of evidence as any medical test or drug.” www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2025/ju...

Daniel Hardiman-McCartney MBE FCOptom with presenters Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt sat on the BBC Breakfast sofa

Did you see our Clinical Adviser @danielhm.bsky.social
on BBC Breakfast with Naga & Charlie?

He spoke about #ChildrensEyeHealth, #NHS-funded eye tests, orthoptic-led screening and the importance of regular eye tests from age 3–4.

#BBCiPlayer (skip to 01:18)➡️ coptom.uk/4lchzd0

This new paper from @ucl.ac.uk highlights why it is vital to look to the evidence powering AIaMD for safe, ethical AI deployment in eye care! www.nature.com/articles/s41... #optometrist #Ophthalmology #AIinEyeCare #MedTwitter #AI #evidencedBased

Denise Voon and TV presenter sitting at a news desk in a TV studio with a colorful background, engaged in a conversation, with a camera in the foreground. The setting includes the logo of '5 News'.

A cameraman operates a video camera, filming Denise Voon MCOptom standing by a wall-mounted display of eyeglasses in a brightly lit room.

A Which? report found 1 in 3 children's sunglasses bought online don’t provide the eye protection required.

Our Clinical Advisers spoke to @itvnews.bsky.social, Channel 5 and more about what to look for, why it matters and how to keep them in good shape.

More advice ➡️ coptom.uk/442Rbvd

Kids' sunglasses bought on online marketplaces unsafe and Illegal in the UK - Which? Our latest investigation shows marketplaces again failing to prevent the sale of harmful products on their platforms

Kids' sunglasses bought on online marketplaces unsafe and Illegal in the UK according to a new Which Magazine investigation. Great to hear Denise @collegeoptomuk.bsky.social on the airwaves providing top tips on what parents should look for in children’s sunglasses. www.which.co.uk/news/article...

If in doubt, take your contact lenses out and contact your optometrist. lookafteryoureyes.org/eye-wear/con...

Wayne with microphone next to Daniel in optometrists room with slit lamp. Radio icon

Just been on @WayneBavinShow @BBCSuffolk talking about Acanthamoeba, a serious risk for contact lens wearers & what steps to take for safe wear.

👁️ Never swim or shower in lenses
🧴 Don’t rinse lenses with tap water
👀 Have regular check ups
🚩 Pain, red eye or poor vision @collegeoptomuk.bsky.social

How to safely clean your glasses and sunglasses - Which? Washing up liquid, saliva, the corner of your clothes... what are the dos and don't when it comes to keeping glasses clean?

🧼 Think your shirt or washing-up liquid is safe for cleaning your glasses? Think again! Which? reveals that common methods can damage your lenses. #IAmAmOptometrist #LoveYourGlasses

🔗 Full guide: www.which.co.uk/news/article...
#GlassesCare #OpticsTips #WhichAdvice

The whole team has been raising awareness with the public about the importance of helping children see clearly and dispel myths that relate to children’s eye care.

College staff Juliet Leach and Neal Suchak standing in front of a promotional banner for the UK Eye Care Data Hub at a booth hosted by The College of Optometrists, displaying informational materials and a monitor showing a data graph.

Attendees at a conference explore the Eyecare data hub on an interactive display shown on a computer screen by a Neal Suchak. The setting includes promotional materials from the College of Optometrists on a table, including brochures and branded items.

Two individuals are engaged in a discussion at a College of Optometrists conference booth, examining data on a laptop, with promotional materials and another banner visible in the background.

A person scanning a QR code on a banner at the UK Eye Care Data Hub exhibit. The banner is yellow with text and the College of Optometrists logo at the top.

We were thrilled to showcase the #UKEyeCareDataHub at the
@nhsconfed.org Primary & Community Care Conference!

It was a great opportunity to demonstrate how the hub can support the planning and delivery of eye care services.

Visit the hub today ➡️ coptom.uk/4g8Wopv

A smiling male optometrist wearing a headset sits at a desk with two monitors. Short dark hair, light blue shirt. One screen displays a BBC local radio page featuring presenter Gayle Lofthouse, and the other shows a report titled “Clarity for parents: Children’s eye health in the UK – Published April 2025”. Papers, a microphone, and a glass of water are on the desk.

A @collegeoptomuk.bsky.social cantor around the UK via BBC local radio sharing our new child eye health report with MumsNet, ABDO & the OSA.

We’re calling for:
•Better optometry signposting 👁️
•Eye care in the Red Book 📕

www.college-optometrists.org/news/2025/ap...
#ChildrenEyeHealth #NHS

Group of people sitting at tables in an ornate room with wood paneling and a chandelier, attending a conference or meeting.

Group individuals smiling for a photo in a formal room with traditional decor, under a portrait painting. All participants are wearing name tags and professional attire.

Three people engaged in a discussion at a formal event, seated at a table with papers and name tags visible.

This week, our #AI in Eye Care Summit sparked insightful conversations on AI’s impact, how we can understand its capabilities, adopt it responsibly, and ensure it transforms #eyecare with integrity and patient interest at the core.

Join the discussion ➡️ coptom.uk/community

AI in sight: Steering tomorrow’s eye care today. Industry, clinicians and policymakers gather at @collegeoptomuk.bsky.social AI event. Read the write up by Optican Mag:- www.opticianonline.net/content/news... #IAmAnOptometrist #AI

Hue new? Scientists claim to have found colour no one has seen before Contested discovery achieved by experiment firing laser pulses into eyes, stimulating retina cells

Scientists claim they’ve discovered a new colour—one no human has ever seen. They call it olo. You can’t see it on a screen. You have to feel it with your brain. (Personally I am with the City Uni team, bemused and not convinced!) What do uou think? www.theguardian.com/science/2025...

Measuring AI Ability to Complete Long Tasks We propose measuring AI performance in terms of the *length* of tasks AI agents can complete. We show that this metric has been consistently exponentially increasing over the past 6 years, with a doub...

AI is learning fast—really fast.

New research from METR shows the “time horizon” of AI—the length of tasks it can do autonomously—is doubling every seven months. metr.org/blog/2025-03...

#AI #HealthcareInnovation #EyeCare #Productivity #HealthTech #ArtificialIntelligence #DigitalHealth

Excited to be at #WIREDHealth 2025 today at Kings Place, London—where the biggest minds in healthcare, tech, and policy are tackling the future of medicine, AI, and innovation!
This morning Dame Sally Davis & Reed Hoffman set the pace for the day! #AMR #HealthEquity #AI

Oxford chancellor calls for tighter controls on smartphones for children ‘Welcoming technology firms is different from letting them do anything they like’, William Hague warned

Interesting piece and pertinent observations from the Chancellor of Oxon. #screentime #achievement #socialmedia www.the-independent.com/news/uk/poli...

Why Eye Health Is The Next Wellness Frontier – And What You Should Be Doing About Yours Eyes are the window to the soul – but also to your overall health.

Great to see this eye health piece in British Vogue, with comments from @collegeoptomuk.bsky.social! www.vogue.co.uk/article/eye-...

Plans to make phone use safer for children watered down The MP behind the bill says proposals have been altered in a bid to gain government support.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Daniel Hardiman-McCartney MBE FCOptom smiling in front of a colorful BBC logo at a media facility.

A person monitoring multiple screens in a broadcast control room with views of on-air footage and various broadcast equipment.

Daniel Hardiman-McCartney MBE FCOptom smiling at the camera in a BBC radio studio, surrounded by screens and broadcasting equipment.

Is screen time affecting children’s vision?

📻 Our Clinical Adviser, @danielhm.bsky.social, joined @bbcworldservice.bsky.social to discuss new research on rising child #myopia rates & shared advice for parents on prevention.

Listen to the interview (skip to 27 mins) ➡️ coptom.uk/4bHUonL

Group of professionals engaging in a discussion at at an event hosted by The College of Optometrists. The graphic has text reading Clinical Governance Guidance 2025, Quality improvement and excellence in optometry.

We’ve just launched our updated Clinical Governance Guidance, providing members with a framework that aligns with the healthcare landscape and primary care optometry workplace practices of today - and into the future.

Stay informed by viewing the latest guidance today ➡️ coptom.uk/3F6kvrV