Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke. My colleague and I wish to highlight the problem of accessing public eye care in Ireland but we have a potential solution. I look forward to the ministerial response in due course.

Unfortunately, many adults and children must wait too long to receive public eye care in this country. Figures for 2022, compiled by the National Treatment Purchase Fund, show that over 33,000 people were on an outpatient eye care waiting list, with over 12,000 of them having waited longer than a year. In fact, HSE figures show that almost 10,000 people had waited for over a year for urgent eye care treatment as of November 2022. Therefore, the current hospital-based system is not fit to meet the current demand, let alone any future need.

Optometrists have told us that there is an opportunity to address the waiting lists for eye care through greater use of their services. Optical practices and optometrists are ready to work in collaboration with the entire eye care sector to deliver a shared care service that will reduce the burden on the HSE, improve clinical outcomes for patients and save sight. Such an initiative would go a long way to tackling the current long waiting times. Optometrists have told us that they believe this can be best achieved by increased availability of primary eye care within communities. There is evidence to support the belief that their plan is working because a pilot scheme is under way, and has been for some time, in Sligo. That scheme has worked very well.

I have raised this issue on a number of occasions. Optometrists appear to have a solution to this problem. They want the HSE and the Department of Health to engage with them. Apparently, there are 300 optometry practices and 700 practitioners throughout the length and breadth of this country. They have the expertise and the equipment. I understand it is 50% less expensive to provide routine examinations, monitoring and care in the community via optometrists than it is to do so within the hospital system. Of course, if optometrists did more of this work, it would alleviate the pressure on hospitals. I look forward to the address by the Minister of State after my colleague Senator Conway has said a few words.