Optician negligence claim: examples, how to claim, and compensation

Published 1 April 2026

TL;DR

An optician negligence claim arises when an optometrist or dispensing optician fails to meet the required standard of care and causes harm to the patient's sight or eye health
The most common bases for a negligence claim are: missed glaucoma, missed retinal detachment, failure to refer, wrong prescription causing harm, and delayed diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy or macular degeneration
The Bolam test applies to optometrists and dispensing opticians in the same way as to other regulated healthcare practitioners
The General Optical Council's Standards of Practice provide the professional framework, but the legal standard is Bolam
Eye injury compensation under the JCG (17th edition, April 2024) ranges from £3,950 for minor injuries with full recovery to £61,690 for total loss of sight in one eye
The time limit is three years from the date of the negligent act or from the date of knowledge

An optician negligence claim is a medical negligence claim brought when an optometrist or dispensing optician fails to meet the standard of care required by law and that failure causes harm to a patient's vision or eye health. Despite being a specialist clinical setting, optometry is subject to the same legal framework as any other healthcare discipline. Optometrists are registered with the General Optical Council (GOC) and their practice must meet both the GOC's Standards of Practice and the Bolam standard applied by the courts.

What qualifies as an optician negligence claim?

An optician negligence claim requires the same three elements as any medical negligence claim: duty of care, breach of the Bolam standard, and causation.

Optometrists owe a duty of care to patients who attend for examination and treatment. The duty encompasses not only the accuracy of the refraction (sight test) but also the examination of the health of the eye, including the optic nerve, retina, intraocular pressure, and other structures that can indicate or be affected by systemic and local disease.

Breach is established when an independent optometry expert confirms that the optometrist's conduct fell outside what any responsible body of optometrists would have accepted. This applies to both errors of commission (doing something wrong) and errors of omission (failing to do something that should have been done).

The most important obligation in clinical optometry is the duty to refer. Where examination reveals findings that require investigation or treatment by an ophthalmologist, the optometrist must refer promptly and appropriately. Failure to refer when referral was indicated is the most common basis for a negligence claim.

What are the most common optician negligence examples?

Missed glaucoma: glaucoma is a progressive disease of the optic nerve, usually associated with raised intraocular pressure. It is often asymptomatic until significant damage has occurred. Routine eye examinations must include measurement of intraocular pressure, assessment of the optic disc, and visual field testing. Failure to perform these tests, failure to identify abnormal findings, or failure to refer a patient with suspicious findings for ophthalmological assessment is a well-established basis for a negligence claim where vision is subsequently lost.

Missed retinal detachment: a retinal detachment is a sight-threatening emergency. Patients presenting with new floaters, flashes of light, or a shadow in their visual field must be assessed promptly and referred for same-day ophthalmological review if retinal detachment is suspected. Failure to examine the retina adequately or to refer appropriately when symptoms are reported is a frequent source of claims.

Delayed diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy: patients with diabetes require regular screening for diabetic changes to the retina. Failure to detect progressive retinopathy and refer for laser treatment or intravitreal injection in time to prevent further deterioration may give rise to a claim where vision is permanently impaired.

Delayed diagnosis of macular degeneration: age-related macular degeneration (AMD), particularly the wet form, can progress rapidly. An optometrist who fails to identify and urgently refer a patient with wet AMD may be liable if the delay results in irreversible central vision loss that earlier treatment would have reduced.

Wrong prescription causing harm: in most cases, an incorrect spectacle prescription causes discomfort or blurred vision that resolves when a correct prescription is provided. A claim arises where the incorrect prescription causes permanent harm, such as an incorrect contact lens prescription causing a corneal infection or ulceration leading to permanent scarring.

The Bolam test in optician negligence

The Bolam test applies to optometrists and dispensing opticians in exactly the same way as to medical practitioners. A practitioner is not in breach if a responsible body of competent optometrists would have done the same thing in the same circumstances.

The GOC Standards of Practice set out the professional obligations of registered optometrists and dispensing opticians. While a breach of GOC standards does not automatically establish legal negligence, the standards are relevant evidence of what competent professional practice requires. An optometrist who fails to follow GOC guidance on referral thresholds and cannot demonstrate a clinically justified reason for that departure will face significant difficulty showing that their conduct was endorsed by a responsible body of peers.

Optometrists practise both in the NHS (under General Ophthalmic Services contracts) and privately. The legal standard is the same in both settings. The GOC regulates the profession regardless of NHS or private status.

What compensation can you claim for optician negligence?

Compensation in an optician negligence claim is assessed in the same way as any other clinical negligence claim. General damages are assessed using the JCG (17th edition, April 2024) eye injury brackets:

Total loss of sight in one eye: £49,270 to £61,690. This bracket applies where the injury results in the loss of the eye or complete loss of useful vision in one eye, with the other eye unaffected.

Serious but not total loss of vision in one eye: £22,230 to £49,270. Cases involving serious reduction in vision, significant photophobia, or other significant complications.

Minor eye injuries: £3,950 to £8,730 for injuries with complete recovery, tapering downward for very minor injuries. Cases involving temporary visual disturbance or discomfort with full recovery attract awards in the lower part of this range.

Where glaucoma or AMD progresses to bilateral visual impairment or legal blindness due to negligent failure to diagnose and refer, the claim is assessed across both eyes and can attract substantially higher awards.

Special damages include the cost of treatment necessitated by the negligence, aids and adaptations required because of visual impairment, and loss of earnings if vision loss has affected the claimant's ability to work.

For a full breakdown of compensation ranges, see the compensation guide.

Time limits for an optician negligence claim

The time limit is three years from the date of the negligent act or from the date of knowledge. In glaucoma and AMD cases, the date of knowledge may be the date on which a patient is told by an ophthalmologist that vision loss could have been avoided with earlier treatment, which may be later than the date of the optician's negligent act.

A solicitor will obtain your optician's clinical records, hospital ophthalmology records, and relevant screening records. An independent optometry expert and, where necessary, an independent ophthalmologist will then assess breach and causation. For the full claims process, see the how to claim guide. For time limits, see the time limits guide. For funding, see the funding guide.

For a full explanation of medical negligence and how the standard of care applies across all regulated health professions, see the main guide.

This page provides legal information, not legal advice. If you believe you may have an optician negligence claim, speak to a qualified solicitor who specialises in clinical negligence.