Supporting practice comms during National Eye Health Week
23 September 2025
Dear Colleagues,
We hope you and your practices are ready for National Eye Health Week, running from 22–28 September 2025.
National Eye Health Week is Back for 2025 – LOCSU
This annual event is really important in raising public awareness of the importance of good eye care, and plays an important part in promoting the role of community optometry in keeping Britain healthy.
Each day will focus on a particular aspect of eye health.
Avon LOC will be sharing content through our social media channels every day next week to support practices and colleagues in promoting the campaign through your networks and to your patients.
We’d love practices and colleagues to tag us in anything and everything you are doing to support the campaign next week so we can showcase what’s going on across the area.
You can find and follow our social media pages through our Linktree here: https://linktr.ee/avonloc
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