Seeing you through London 2012: eye care at the Olympics

Provision of eye care services for competitors and their support teams has become an integral part of the modern Olympic Games.

To describe the organisation of the eye clinic at London 2012 over a 4-week period and provide outline audit data.

The clinic employed multidisciplinary eye care professionals and utilised state-of-the-art instrumentation to provide the highest level of eye care.

A total of 1406 patients from 154 countries attended the clinic over the Olympic Games, of which, 276 were competitors. All individuals received a comprehensive refractive and ocular health examination. Minor ocular injuries, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration were among the conditions detected and managed. Most patients attended the clinic to have their refractive status checked: 973 spectacles and 50 pairs of contact lenses were dispensed.

It is hoped that this account of the provision of eye care at London 2012 will assist with the planning of this service at future events.