PROPOSALS TO abolish optical treatment benefit would lead to an increase in blindness and visual impairment, a body representing optometrists has claimed.
The McCarthy report published last month said treatment benefit, which contributes to the cost of dental and optical treatment and hearing aids, was “no longer affordable” given other pressures on the social insurance fund.
It said some €92 million would be saved in a full year by the abolition of the payment.
Lynda McGivney-Nolan of the Association of Optometrists Ireland said stopping the scheme would lead to an “inevitable reduction” in regular eye examinations among pensioners and older people. These people were the most at risk of developing incurable eye diseases such as glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, she said.
“The critical factor in prevention of visual impairment and blindness is early identification of the condition . . . The vast majority of eye examinations are performed by optometrists who always check/screen for these conditions and refer for treatment when necessary,” she said.
Last year, the optical benefit scheme funded 200,000 examinations at a cost of €5 million. The vast majority of these were for people over 55.
“If the scheme is discontinued it is inevitable that many people will cease to have regular eye examinations, particularly older people who are retired and living off their pension. This will significantly increase their risk of vision loss and irreversible eye disease,” Ms McGivney-Nolan said.
The association said cutting the payment would ultimately increase the cost to the State of treating blindness.
Ms McGivney-Nolan said a report by the Visual Impairment Service-Providers Association indicated that the number of blind people in Ireland aged 55 and over would increase by 170 per cent between 2006 and 2031.
“This highlights the need for appropriate investment in the early detection of eye conditions and the measure proposed by the McCarthy report would exacerbate this trend,” she said.