COVID-19 disrupted so much of our lives, now a report shows that 123,700 people missed their eye test in 2020.
As the nation battled the COVID-19 pandemic, understandably all health services were redirected to care for critically ill patients. On top of this, community optometrists, like us, initially had to severely restrict services, causing a reduction in referrals to hospital. Almost all routine testing in hospital eye services stopped as they dealt with emergency and urgent cases only.
There is now a significant backlog of people who did not attend eye appointments because they were cancelled or because they were reluctant to attend.
To help us understand the impact of the pandemic has had on eyecare, we joined forces with the charity Fighting Blindness to produce The State of Ireland’s Eye Health Report 2021. Click here to find out more about the Fighting Blindness charity.
The report makes for a stark, but at times heart-warming read, as we understand the scale of the challenge to eye health, but also the tremendous spirit of teamwork as everyone worked together to take urgent action to care for patients.
The key statistics make worrying reading when it comes to missed appointments and the impact this has had on our vision:
- There was a 123,700 drop in the number of eye tests delivered in 2020, a 19% decline compared to tests administered in 2019.
- 47,000 people missed out on diabetic retinopathy screening in 2020, compared to 2019.
- The waiting list for ophthalmology outpatient and inpatient appointments stands at 49,000 as of August 2021.
- In 2020, before the pandemic, the annual economic cost of sight-loss and blindness in Ireland was estimated at €2.67bn. The additional backlog of eyecare services will only add to the cost.
One in a million-condition detected
In January 2021, 18-year-old Neche Okolo was experiencing a sore neck, nausea, and headaches. She was admitted to hospital for a few days when her symptoms got worse.
As things improved, Neche was discharged but, when she experienced double-vision she became worried about her eyesight.
Neche called Specsavers Dundalk for an appointment with her community optometrist. She was seen by Martina Kelly, who ran some tests and noticed that Neche’s optic nerve was swollen.
‘I tried to reassure Neche as I referred her to hospital straight away for further examination,’ says Martina.
Neche picks up the story: ‘After several MRI and CT scans it was confirmed that I had cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. Blood clots had formed and caused a stroke in my brain. I’m now telling everyone to make sure they get their eyes tested.’
If you are experiencing any problems with your eyes or vision you can book an appointment at your nearest store. Just click on the button below and add your postcode and we’ll find your nearest store. If you have any serious concerns about your eye health you can find the phone number of your local store and call them directly to explain the situation.
Working together on a nationwide emergency
The pandemic has worsened the pre-existing delays to eyecare which means there are now even more patients waiting to be seen. This represents the tip of the iceberg as many of those who missed appointments, or had treatment delayed, will have more serious or advanced vision problems by the time they see a professional. This will have a huge impact on the health service and economy. Key groups from across the Ireland now need to work together to reduce waiting times and develop plans to tackle these problems.
If you have noticed a change in your eyesight or eye health since the beginning of the pandemic, book an appointment today.
Helping Sofia with eye muscle issues
Aged two, Sophia was sitting opposite her mum, Leanne, at the kitchen table when she noticed Sophia’s eye start to drift and knew something was not right.
Sophia was seen by optometrist Claire Morrin, who confirmed that Sophia would need glasses and would also need to be referred to an orthoptist to check her eye muscles. The specialist confirmed that Sophia’s right eye was doing all the work for her lazy left eye. She was prescribed eye patches to help strengthen her left eye, wearing it on her good eye for three hours a day. The treatment is working well.
Although eye muscle issues often present when children are 18-months old, they may not be detected until school vision screening at age five or six years. As Sophia’s condition was treated early, her eye muscles will strengthen more quickly. Leanne says, ‘I am so thankful that Claire knew Sophia needed to be referred for further help.’
