Hundreds of people are going blind every year because of long waits for NHS treatment, medics have warned.

Ophthalmologists warned of a growing crisis in services affecting patients with common eye conditions such as glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Their research shows that more than 260 patients a year are losing their vision permanently, because they were not seen by the NHS in time.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Eye Health and Visual Impairment last night called for “urgent action” amid warnings that eye clinics were unable to keep pace with demand.

Research by the The British Ophthalmological Surveillance Unit found up to 22 patients every month were going blind or being left partially sighted because treatment was not started in time.