7 500 PATIENTS WAITING FOR VITAL EYE OPERATION
THE Government has been accused of letting people lose their vision by depriving them of a simple sight-saving procedure.
It has emerged 315 cataracts patients have been forced to wait more than 18 months for the operation that takes just 10 minutes to perform.
And Department of Health figures seen by the Irish Mirror show that across the country more than 7,500 are on public hospital waiting lists.
National Council for the Blind chief Chris White said: “It is clear ophthalmology waiting lists are out of control and this is even more shocking when you consider as much as 75% of sight loss is avoidable.” Sinn Fein health spokeswoman Louise O’reilly hit out at Minister Simon Harris.
The Dublin Fingal TD said: “These figures show there is no focus by the Government on tackling waiting lists.”
Dublin’s Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Surgeons carry out a cataract op Hospital has 1,609 patients holding out for an appointment.
The second worst waiting times are at University Hospital Waterford with 1,583 on its list.
But when it comes to waiting more than 18 months, it tops the pile with 103, while 274 are waiting up to 12 months and 137 are hanging on for 15 months. At Dublin’s Mater, 99 of its 821 patients have been waiting more than 18 months. In Galway University Hospital, 1,202 patients need the op and 255 of these have been on the lost for nine months, with 52 waiting more than twice that long.
The Department of Health told the Irish Mirror almost 3,000 fewer patients were waiting for cataract ops at the end of February this year compared to July 2017.
Number of patients who have waited more than 18 months for operation