UK Study Finds Ophthalmology Letters Too Complex for Patients

A study of more than 4.6 million outpatient ophthalmology letters sent by a large UK hospital trust between 2013 and 2025 found that the correspondence is written at a college‑level reading difficulty. The average Flesch Reading Ease score was 51.1, and 95 % of the letters fell below the readability level recommended for patient‑facing material.

The analysis, published in BMJ Health & Care Informatics, covered 804,986 patients across 17 ophthalmology subspecialties. Readability varied, with the highest scores in pediatric, optometry and orthoptics services. Researchers note that the dual purpose of clinical letters – informing both patients and their GPs – makes simplifying the language challenging. The study follows 2018 Academy of Medical Royal Colleges guidance encouraging clinicians to write directly to patients, and NHS England’s push for clear, timely communication in outpatient care.